Emotions
by zoebrenn
Summary: A series of one-shots exploring a variety of emotions with Callen and Nell as the central characters and mix of angst, friendship, romance and humour. Chapter Nine is Nervousness.
1. Guilt

**So I have a lot of one-shot stories in my head and after thinking about them for a while I realised they could form a series. So I've created this 'story'. Each chapter will be a one-shot and will explore a variety of emotions with Callen and Nell as the central characters. This is the first one and I hope you enjoy it. Zoe :)**

_The constant beep, beep, beep of the machines monitoring vital signs was both reassuring and terrifying at the same time. Each beep meant her heart was still beating and she was still breathing. But each beep reminded him that she was lying unconscious in a hospital bed and it was his fault she was there. He reached out and took her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze._

"_Come on Nell, it's time to wake up now."_

xxx

It was a typical day in the City of Angels. The sun was high in the sky, the air was dry and there was just enough of a breeze to keep the temperature bearable. Special Agent G Callen was cruising down the highway in the Mercedes with Nell Jones in the passenger seat. They were returning from a Marine Colonel's home where Nell had been putting her skills to use on his computer systems to try and gleam some information which might be relevant to their case.

Traffic was light for the time of day and Callen relaxed into his seat, resting his elbow on the door as he held the wheel, the fingers on his other hand tapping in time to the music playing out of the sound system. Nell had her laptop open on her lap, reviewing the files she had downloaded.

_If you could say you saw it coming, then car accidents would never happen. _

He didn't see it coming, and it happened. The rear tyre on an SUV in front of them in the next lane blew out and the SUV swerved right into their lane and began to spin. Callen didn't have time to think about how to react. He just did. His instinct was to hit the brakes, trying to avoid slamming into the SUV. But the moment he hit the pedal he knew it was the wrong decision. He narrowly avoided crashing into the SUV but in doing so had lost just enough control of the Mercedes to send it into a skid.

Nell felt the shift of the car the moment Callen hit the brakes and she looked up in horror as the SUV came closer. Then it was gone but what now infected her vision was the centre divider and it was getting closer. She gripped the door handle and pressed her back into the seat as Callen tried desperately to steer the car clear. But their path was determined and with a sickening crunch, the Mercedes connected with the hard steel. The screeching of metal on metal was deafening and as just as Callen thought they were out of the woods, their car was shunted from behind and the inevitable happened. The Mercedes, still moving at speed, began to roll and the last thing Nell saw was the road coming up to meet her and the world turning upside down.

Callen felt his head connect with the steering wheel and he instinctively threw his arm out across Nell, not knowing whether it would help or not. The car flipped over and there was a sickening crunch of metal as the roof connected with the asphalt. Momentum kept the car rolling and Callen grew dizzy as the world around him spun and twisted.

But as quickly as it happened, it was over. Everything stopped moving, the dust settled and the car was righted on its wheels across two lanes of the highway. The air was thick with the smell of smoke, burned rubber and gasoline, and as Callen blinked his eyes open he knew they were at least right side up. He grimaced as he yanked off his seatbelt and leaned across the car. Nell was like a ragdoll, slumped in her seat, her head resting against the cracked glass of her window. His heart pounded as he reached his hand out and placed it on her neck. But the pounding didn't slow even though he felt a pulse. His panic only increased when he drew his hand back and saw blood. Her blood.

Callen looked forward again and saw smoke billowing out of the engine. He knew it would only be a matter of time before there was fire and carrying almost a full tank of gas, the car would go up like a bomb. Reaching for the door handle, he threw his weight against it and fell out of the car onto the hard ground, groaning as he staggered to his feet. Taking a cursory glance around, he could see they were far from the only victims. Behind the Mercedes, several other cars were strewn across the highway and people were slowly emerging from the vehicles, some making their way to the hard shoulder, others stumbling around in confusion.

Callen shook his head trying to clear his thoughts. He needed to call it in, get ambulances on the way. But first he needed to help Nell. Bracing his hand on the hot metal of the hood of the car for just a moment, he moved around to the passenger side and pulled on the door handle, grunting when it refused to budge. Taking a closer look, he could see the metal frame was warped so he yanked harder several times and finally the door gave way, creaking open. Using his body for leverage, Callen braced his back against the door and pushed it open wide enough to get to Nell.

"Nell." Callen called as he started to check her over. "Nell, can you hear me?"

Callen was sickened to see a large gash to her head, the source of the blood streaked down her face, neck and onto her clothes. Her eyes were closed, her face somewhat peaceful. Glancing over at the hood of the car, Callen's eyes widened when he saw little orange flames licking around the metal. He couldn't wait, he had to get Nell out of the car.

Reaching across her body, Callen released her seatbelt and as he moved to slide his arms behind her back and under her legs, Nell moaned and her eyes briefly fluttered open. Callen paused.

"Nell, you're going to be okay." He told her as he tightened his grip and moved to lift her out of the seat.

"Wait." She mumbled. "The laptop."

If the situation weren't so serious, Callen would have been amused at her ability to think about the case. And realising if he left the laptop they would lose half a day's work and possible leads towards catching a murderer, he grabbed it from the foot well of the seat and placed it on Nell's lap. Her hand loosely touched it as Callen slipped his arm back under her legs and he lifted her from the car. His own body ached from the accident and he gritted his teeth as he secured Nell in his arms and began to back away from the car. In the few seconds it took for him to move her out the car she had gone completely limp in his arms, her was head tilted back and one arm hung loosely at her side, the other was tucked against his chest.

With smoke billowing all around, the sound of car horns blaring and people's cries, Callen staggered the short distance across the highway to the hard shoulder. Safely away from all other vehicles, Callen got to his knees and laid Nell out on the ground. He turned to look back at the scene and saw several people running towards him. Then without warning, his Mercedes exploded in a fireball. Callen twisted and threw himself over Nell, protecting her from any falling debris. He could feel the heat of the explosion on his back and couldn't help but think how lucky they were. If he had been knocked out, they might not have gotten out of the car in time.

Sitting up, Callen pulled Nell into his arms and held her against his chest as he reached into his pocket for his cell, making the call to Eric to get rescue on the way. Eric assured him rescue was already on the way and when Eric asked if they were okay, he could hear the worry in his voice.

"We'll be fine." He told the younger man, not wanting to worry him more without knowing how badly injured Nell actually was.

What happened next was a blur. One moment Callen was sitting with Nell in his arms, the next he was climbing into the back of an ambulance, then he was sitting on a hospital bed, a doctor finishing putting stitches into a small cut on his head.

"Mr Callen." A soft and familiar voice spoke his name from the doorway. Callen looked around the doctor and saw Hetty, standing solemnly with her hands clasped in front of her.

"How's Nell?" he asked immediately. Hetty's gaze dropped to the floor for just a moment, telling Callen the news wasn't good.

"Hetty?" he asked as the doctor rose and stood to the side.

"You're good to go Mr Callen." The doctor told him. Callen jumped down and crossed the room to Hetty.

"Ms Jones is still unconscious." Hetty explained.

"It's my fault." Callen said angrily as he stepped out of the room and into the hallway. "Damn it." He slammed his palm into the wall then turned around and leaned back against the wall. "Where is she?" he asked.

"Down the hall, room 301." Hetty said. "Mr Callen." She reached for his arm. "This wasn't your fault."

"Yes it was. I was driving. I hit the brakes. I lost control." He said through gritted teeth.

"You pulled Nell from the car. You called for help. You saved her life." Hetty reminded him.

"Only after I put it in danger." Callen replied bitterly before he turned and stalked away from his boss. Hetty let him go, sensing there was little else she could say to comfort the agent.

Xxx

Callen walked into Nell's room and his eyes widened. She was motionless on the bed with a drip in her arm and wires leading from her chest to a machine by the bed. He took a few steps closer and saw that the cut to her head had been stitched but a large purple bruise had formed across her forehead and covered her right eye. Her skin was deathly white and she looked so small and fragile in the bed. He crossed the room and folded into the chair at the far side of the bed. With his elbows resting on his knees, he watched her breathing. The guilt was almost overwhelming and he struggled to suck in a few deep breaths. Scooting the chair forward, he reached out and took her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Come on Nell, it's time to wake up now."

"G?" Sam called softly from the doorway. Callen looked up and met his partner's eyes. "How is she?"

"Unconscious." Callen replied. Sam sighed and stepped into the room.

"What happened G?"

"I crashed the car Sam." Callen replied sarcastically. With a poignant look from his partner, Callen explained further. "An SUV in front of us blew out a tyre and swerved into our lane. I hit the brakes and skidded. We were hit from behind, crashed into the centre divider and rolled."

"You okay?" Sam asked.

"I'm fine Sam." He shook his head. "But Nell isn't and it's my fault."

"It's your fault that another car blew out a tyre?"

"No, but I lost control of the car." Callen looked back at Nell, watching her chest rising and falling rhythmically.

"It was an accident G." Sam reminded him. "What else could you have done?"

"I could have changed lanes. I didn't have to hit the brakes so hard. I should have kept control of the wheel."

"Could have, should have, would have." Sam shook his head. "You made a split second decision and you're both alive. I'd say you did the right thing." Sam was worried about his partner. He had never seen Callen second guess a decision before.

"Mr Callen, Mr Hanna." Hetty spoke up from the doorway. "You still have a case to solve. I will stay here with Ms Jones."

"Hetty." Callen protested.

"I understand you are concerned Mr Callen. But I need you to find our murderer and you can't very well do that from here. I will call you the moment she wakes up."

"Come on G. She's in good hands." Sam encouraged. Callen looked at Nell, gave her hand one last squeeze then set her hand gently down on the bed.

"The moment she wakes up Hetty." Callen said seriously.

Xxx

Hetty was sitting in the chair by Nell's bed, her legs were crossed and she had her hands folded in her lap. It had been four hours since Nell had been brought in and she hadn't stirred. A CAT scan had revealed no serious damage but she had a bad concussion and the Doctor had advised it would just take time for her to wake up.

As Hetty plucked at a non-existent piece of lint on her jacket hem, she heard a moan. Glancing over at the bed she saw Nell move her head and blink her eyes open.

"Ms Jones." Hetty smiled and rose to her feet, crossing the short distance to the bed.

"Hetty?" Nell mumbled as she blinked her eyes open.

"You and Mr Callen were in a car accident. You're in the hospital."

"Callen?" Nell asked.

"Is quite alright Ms Jones. He's with Sam closing the case."

"Good."

"I'll let the doctor know you are awake." She patted Nell's hand and walked around the bed to the door.

Xxx

Callen and Sam were sitting reclined in chairs in the interview room in the boatshed. Their suspect was sitting before them sweating.

"And here is the nail in your coffin." Callen smirked as he showed their suspect the documents that confirmed his involvement in the case.

"We got these from Marine Colonel Baker's home computer." Sam explained. "You killed him because he told you he was going to quit supplying you with weapons. What you two were doing may have been illegal but he kept meticulous records." Sam and Callen stared the man down and finally he broke, confessing everything and providing several names for others involved.

Returning to the main room, Callen was not feeling the satisfaction he normally did when they closed a case. His mind was on Nell. Hetty hadn't called which meant she still hadn't woken up.

"Sam, I'm going to…"

"Go back to the hospital. I got this." He patted his partner on the shoulder. "We'll swing by later."

Callen was half way to the hospital when his cell rang. Answering it he got the news he had been waiting for.

"Mr Callen. Ms Jones is awake and alert."

"Thanks Hetty. I'm on my way now. Case is done." Callen replied before quickly hanging up. He navigated the streets taking the shortest route, making one quick stop on the way. He was at the hospital thirty minutes later.

Xxx

Nell was asleep when Callen arrived at her room. Her bed was tilted up and she had several pillows under her head so she was almost sitting upright. The drip was still in her arm but the machine was gone. Callen stood in the doorway and watched her for a moment before clearing his throat and stepping inside.

"Nell?" he called softly as he approached the bed. She slowly turned her head and blinked her eyes open, a smile crossing her face when she saw her visitor.

"Hey." She replied weakly. "Those for me?" Callen looked down at the colourful bunch of flowers he clutched in his hand.

"Um yeah." He handed them to her and she smiled.

"Thank you. They're beautiful." She looked over the mix of brightly coloured gerberas bundled together with pink ribbon. "I love flowers."

"I know." Callen nodded. "And I'm sorry."

"For what?" she asked.

"For you being in here." He shifted nervously by the bed, his eyes downcast.

"Why is this your fault?" Nell asked.

"I lost control of the car."

"I thought another car crossed our lane." A look of confusion crossed her face.

"It did, but…"

"But what? You had to do something." She told him.

"And that 'something' got you hurt."

"It could have been a lot worse if you had done something else, or nothing." She reasoned.

"But my actions caused us to crash." Callen couldn't shake the guilt he felt and as he looked at Nell, her face scarred and bruised, it only got worse.

"Callen." She patted the bed next to her and after a momentary pause he took a step towards her and perched on the edge, turned towards her.

"This isn't like you." She said as she reached out and took his hand. "Even when things don't work out how you plan, you don't second guess the decisions you make." He remained silent. "I don't blame you." She said firmly. "In fact, I owe you my life. From what I hear, you pulled me out the car moments before it went kaboom." She cracked a smile. "I think that says a lot more than a decision you make without time to think."

"Nell." He sighed.

"Please, stop blaming yourself." She begged. "You did what you had to do and you saved my life in the process. It was good decision." She squeezed his hand and held his gaze, waiting for him to show some acceptance what she was saying.

"So you're not mad at me?" he checked. Nell lifted the hand that wasn't still holding Callen's and with her finger signalled for him to come closer. He leaned in and she lifted her body up, pecking him on the cheek.

"Never." She grinned.

"So when are you getting out of here?" Callen asked. He may not entirely agree that her being in hospital wasn't his fault but she didn't blame him and that alleviated some of his guilt.

"Tomorrow morning." She sighed. "I'm already bored."

"Anything I can get you to help with that?" Callen asked.

"You can tell me how the case is going?" Nell smiled.

"That I can do." Callen squeezed her hand and shifted his weight on the bed, getting comfortable. "Thanks to the files you retrieved from the Colonel's computer, we nailed the murderer and put a stop to arms trafficking."

"I thought the laptop was destroyed in the accident?" Nell asked.

"You don't remember?" Callen asked.

"Some things are still a little fuzzy." She admitted.

"You came around in the car before I got you out, told me to bring the laptop."

"Really?" Nell looked surprised at her own thoughtfulness in the midst of an accident and being half unconscious.

"Uh huh." Callen leaned forward brushed his fingers lightly over her forehead near her bandaged cut. "Even with a knock to the head you still think straight." He laughed.

"So what happened?" she asked.

"Well, Sam and I picked up our suspect and…" Callen went on to tell her how they closed the case and by the time he was finished, Nell was half asleep, her eyes drooping closed.

"Sounds like an interesting afternoon." She mumbled.

"It always is." Callen sighed. "But you're tired. I should let you get some rest." He told her, finally pulling his hand free from hers before he rose to his feet.

"Callen?"

"Yeah?" he replied quickly.

"Would you…I mean…"

"You want me to stick around a while?" Callen asked, sensing that was what she was wanting to ask him.

"You probably have things to do." She shook her head gently.

"Nothing more important than this." He smiled and walked around the bed, dropping into the chair by the window.

"Thanks." Nell told him sleepily.

"Anytime Nell." Callen replied.

As he settled back into the chair and watched her fall into a peaceful sleep, Callen thought about how grateful he was to still have her in his life, in all their lives. In a short period of time, the feisty intelligence analyst had become an essential part of the team and he never would have forgiven himself if she hadn't made it. He came to a decision in that moment that he would do whatever it took to ensure she was always safe.

**I'd love it if you left me a review :)**


	2. Boredom

**Thanks for all the great reviews for the first chapter. I hope you enjoy the second instalment. It turned out _a lot_****longer than I intended, hopefully you won't get bored (excuse the pun) half way through. Thanks for reading! Zoe.**

G Callen had never been so bored in all his life. It wasn't a feeling he enjoyed or one he was used to. It was 1pm on a Saturday afternoon and having cleaned everything in sight, mowed his lawn, organised his few belongings more than once, read the paper and finished a book he had started several days earlier, Callen was lying prone on the floor with his arms thrown out to either side of him. As he stared at a spider slowly crawling along the ceiling, he began wishing his cell would ring calling him in to the office. Not that he wanted something requiring his team's skills to actually happen, but he needed something…anything…to do. The past few weeks had been uncharacteristically quiet and he didn't even have the excuse of needing to catch up on paperwork to just go into the office because for the first time in years, his inbox was empty. He was bored. Absolutely, totally and utterly bored.

Any other weekend and he would simply have called Sam and insisted he meet him for lunch and a few beers, but Sam was away with his family on a camping trip. Callen thought about calling Kensi but remembered as he was about to hit the 'call' button that she was also away for the weekend, reconnecting with her mother. It momentarily crossed his mind to call Deeks but as much as he got along with the Detective, they weren't exactly what you would call buddies and he wasn't sure spending the afternoon with him would be any more fun than being bored out of his skull. The same went for Eric. He liked the young technical operator but they had nothing in common and their relationship was definitely more of team leader/team member than friends.

As he drummed his fingers on the floor, Callen realised he did have one option left. It wasn't that he put this particular option at the bottom of the list. He just wasn't sure where in the realm of colleagues vs friends they stood and whether it would be appropriate to ask. Still, if he didn't do _something_ he was sure he was going to go out of his mind. So picking up his cell he opened a new message and typed.

_Bored senseless. You busy? Callen_

He entered the number, hit send and then waited. But he didn't have to wait long. A reply came inside of a minute.

_Me too. Not busy. Got a plan? Nell_

Smiling, Callen lifted himself up and stared at the message. He was a little surprised she had responded so quickly and that she had said yes, but he was not about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

_Will have when I pick you up in 30!_

Great. All he had to do now was think of something to do. Like he hadn't been trying to do that all day when he was counting cracks in the ceiling and wondering whether his toaster would survive another deconstruction. He had thirty minutes though and if nothing else, Callen worked best under pressure.

xxx

Nell was peering out of her window, waiting for Callen to arrive. She had been incredibly surprised to receive a text from him asking her to hang out. She had never really thought of him as anything other than a colleague and aside from joining the agents on a couple of nights out, she hadn't spent any time alone with him away from the office. Unless of course she counted the night he stayed at the hospital after the car accident but she had had a concussion and was asleep half the time. Still, she was bored out of her mind and could see no reason not to hang out with him. She wanted to be friends with the people she worked so closely with and what better way to achieve that than doing something with Callen out of the office. So she had fired back a text back quickly and smiled when he told her he would be by in half an hour. That gave her just enough time to clean herself up and change out of her the old faded jeans and t-shirt she had been cleaning the apartment in, and into fresh jeans, a fitted red t-shirt and her sneakers. Having no idea what Callen was coming up with for them to do, she figured her ensemble would cover most eventualities.

As she saw his car pull into the street, she stepped away from the window and grabbed her cell from the table, stuffing it into the front pocket of her blue jeans along with some cash. Then taking her house key from the bowl on the table near the door and grabbing a sweater off the hook, she locked up and hurried down the stairs to meet him.

"Hey." She greeted him as she jumped into the passenger seat.

"Hey yourself." He smiled back.

"So, you come up with a plan then?"

"Of course." He laughed. "Santa Monica Pier."

"Nice." Nell nodded. "I haven't been there in forever."

"I thought we could hit Pacific Park, maybe go to the aquarium?" Callen suggested as he pulled back out into the street.

"Sounds good. But then again, anything would be better than sitting in my apartment wishing Hetty would call." She glanced over as Callen started chuckling. "What?" she asked with a laugh in her own voice.

"I thought I was the only one thinking that this morning. It's nice to know I'm not the only workaholic."

"I'm not a workaholic." Nell stated. "I just don't like having nothing to do."

"If you don't mind me asking." Callen began, glancing away from the road for a moment to look at her. "Why are you so bored today?"

"Well, after Hetty made me take that week off after the accident last month I managed to finish every book in my apartment. I _was_ working on a couple of side projects with some friends but they're out of town this weekend. We're all caught up at work so no reason to go to the office, and I guess I just ran out of things to do after I cleaned my apartment this morning."

"Sounds familiar." Callen nodded.

"What a pair huh." She laughed.

Xxx

Santa Monica Pier was bustling when Callen and Nell arrived. It was a hot day and the place was swarming with tourists and locals, all making the most of their weekend. Callen and Nell wove their way through the crowd and headed straight to Pacific Park. It was the ideal place to relieve boredom, with a miniature golf course, games, a climbing wall and a Ferris wheel.

As they made their way into the park, they took a look at the big board mapping out where everything was.

"Miniature golf?" They both suggested at the same time, looking at each other with big grins when they realised they were thinking on the same wavelength.

After a short wait for the course, they soon had putters in hand and were making their way through the pirate themed 9 hole course. As they made their way from hole to hole, both found themselves entirely relaxed in each other's company. Conversation came easily and didn't revolve around work which surprised both of them. Callen also discovered Nell was very competitive and didn't mind bending, or breaking, the rules.

"Hey!" he called, pointing his putter at her after she tapped her ball with her foot to move it into a better position at the 9th hole. All so she would sink it with one shot less than Callen and win the game.

"What?" she smiled, pretending she had no idea what he was talking about.

"I saw you." Callen raised his eyebrows and looked at her with mock annoyance. "You cheated."

"Prove it." Nell laughed as she held his gaze.

"I will." He stared he down.

"What, are you going to call Eric and have him hack the security cameras?" she joked as she stood with her hands on her hips. Callen looked at her, and realising it was a very good idea, reached into his pocket pulling out his cell.

"Oh my gosh, you are not going to do that." Nell hurried over to him and as he fended her off with one hand while she tried to grab his cell, he pretended to call Eric.

"Callen." Nell laughed.

"I'm kidding." He laughed with her. "Kidding." He stuffed his cell back in his pocket. "But seriously, who knew you were that competitive."

"Clearly you don't know me very well." She smirked as she returned to her ball and tapped it into the hole with the putter. "I win!" she exclaimed, raising both arms in victory. Callen shook his head and smiled.

"I'd ask for a rematch but you'd just cheat again."

"Sore loser." She muttered.

"Whatever Jones."

After returning their putters, they left the course and after just a short walk found themselves standing at the bottom of a climbing wall, watching as some kids scrambled up, shrieking with laughter.

"So, I hear Hetty beat you up the wall in the gym." Nell teased, throwing Callen a sideways glance.

"Who told you that?" Callen asked defensively.

"Sam." She grinned. "He said she was like a ninja while you got stuck half way up."

"I'm gonna kill him." Callen shook his head.

"So it's true then." Nell laughed. "I thought he was making it up."

"And you can do better?" Callen told her.

"Maybe." She smiled coyly. "Are you challenging me?"

"Loser pays for dinner." Callen said, issuing the formal challenge.

"You're on." Nell accepted with a grin.

After queuing for ten minutes, they started getting strapped into the harnesses by the staff, and Nell found herself thinking about how much fun she was having. She had never really seen this playful side of Callen. And she was glad he was comfortable enough around her to show it. He really didn't know her very well, nor she him and this unexpected day out was turning out to be a great way to really break the ice between them.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Ready." She replied.

On the count of three, the two of them began to climb the wall. Callen took off like a shot, determined to get to the top before Nell. Even if she never mentioned it to anyone, he would never live it down if she beat him up the wall. But he didn't have much to worry about. By the time he was three quarters of the way up, Nell was barely a third of the way. Glancing down, he could see the frustrated look on her face and for a moment he felt bad.

"You're doing great Nell." He called down. He watched as she glanced up at him and for a second, he thought he saw defeat in her expression. But upon hearing his encouraging words, she gritted her teeth and was soon pushing herself upwards, closing the distance between them. Callen carried on up the wall and within a few minutes he reached the top.

"Guess I need to get more practice in." she grinned when she joined him there a minute later.

"You should come down and use the wall in the gym more often." Callen told her. "You ready to go back down?" he looked down behind him and saw the staff waiting for them to repel down.

"Yup." Nell nodded and as Callen signalled to the staff, they leaned away from the wall, zipped back down to the ground and were quickly hustled out of the harnesses so the next climbers could get their shot.

xxx

Callen and Nell wiled away the next two hours wandering around the Aquarium, taking the opportunity to handle the different creatures in the touch tanks and see the sharks being fed. Callen was surprised by how much Nell knew about marine life and when she caught him throwing her a curious look as she talked about the sea horses and how they are actually carnivorous, she explained that she took a marine biology class in college when her advisor felt she needed to broaden her course load. If nothing else, Callen was learning an awful lot about the youngest member of his team and he was glad he had decided to ask her to hang out - his boredom was long gone.

"So, I guess I owe you dinner huh?" Nell smiled as they left the aquarium and wandered along the pier, back in the direction of the Park.

"That was the bet." He nodded.

"Wait here." She told him as she took a quick look around.

"What for?" Callen asked.

"Just wait." Nell repeated as she backed away and disappeared into the crowd. Callen tried to follow her with his eyes, not entirely comfortable with her wandering off alone but he lost sight of her amongst all the people. He shifted on the spot, wondering where she had gone but he got his answer a few minutes later when she returned, carefully balancing two drinks cartons and a brown paper bag in her hands.

"What's that?" Callen asked, eyeing the bag suspiciously.

"Dinner." Nell replied, thrusting the bag towards him. Callen took it and opened up the top, peering inside. A bark of laughter escaped his lips as he pulled out a hot dog.

"You said I had to pay for dinner, you didn't specify what dinner was." Nell grinned.

"True." Called nodded. "Though I _was_ in the mood for steak." He mused.

"Next time." Nell replied, before really thinking about whether there would or should be a next time.

After a quick reorganisation of the items, they began to wander through the crowd, eating their hot dogs and sipping on the cokes. The sun was going down and as the natural light faded, the bright lights of the park started to illuminate the sky. Music and loud noises from the games in the Park filled the air and as the pair wandered, they ended up near the Ferris wheel.

"Feel like a spin?" Callen asked as he looked up at the big wheel lighting up the sky.

"Are you sure that's a good idea. We just ate." Nell replied, looking a little nervous.

"It's doesn't exactly go very fast." Callen smirked. "Come on." He grabbed her empty coke carton from her hand and tossed it in a trash can along with his own then started towards the base of the wheel. By the time Nell caught up with him, he had already secured them seats on the next gondola.

"After you." He stood aside and let her step into it first. Then he settled himself beside her and waited for the operator to secure the bar. They were the last new occupants so the wheel immediately began to make a full circle. As their gondola lurched backwards, Callen didn't miss the death grip Nell had on the bar in front of her.

"You can't be afraid of heights, you climbed the wall." He whispered, leaning in towards her. Nell snapped her gaze up to his.

"I'm not afraid of heights." She confirmed.

"So what's with the white knuckles." He asked, wondering if perhaps he should have stopped to make sure she actually wanted to go on the ride and worrying a little that she would be upset with him.

"I don't know." She shook her head. "These things just never feel secure." She smiled nervously.

"You're perfectly safe." Callen assured her.

"Uh huh." Nell looked around her.

"Trust me. Just relax and enjoy the view." Callen smiled as he slung his arm across the back of the seat behind her.

"It is a spectacular view." Nell replied as she loosened her grip on the bar and leaned back against the seat, feeling Callen's arm at her shoulders.

"You know, we get so caught up in what we do, I don't think we take enough time to smell the roses, as they say." Callen mused.

"Are you getting all philosophical on me?" Nell grinned as she turned her head to look at him.

"It happens from time to time." He looked down and met her gaze, smiling warmly back at her.

"You're right though. I spend all day every day in ops, staring at computers and searching data and information, it's really nice to get out and just live life." Nell sighed with content.

"Now who's getting philosophical?" Callen laughed.

"Just enjoy the view." She gently swatted his chest with her hand as the Ferris wheel continued to make a slow circle.

They sat in comfortable silence for the rest of the ride. Nell didn't quite let go of her nerves but with Callen sitting beside her looking completely relaxed, she felt more at ease and enjoyed the magnificent views out over the pacific and down the beach. It was a side of LA she had never seen.

When their ride was over, they stepped down and back into the crowded park. Going straight past the bumper cars, they found themselves by a number of small game stalls.

"Oh my gosh. Whack a Mole." Nell grinned and hurried over to the stall with the classic game. "I love this game." She grinned as she dug some bills from her pocket and paid the stall holder. "It's so addictive."

"And almost as therapeutic as a punching bag." Callen laughed as he took the mallet from the stall holder. As the game started, Callen and Nell stood beside each other hitting the little moles as they popped up through the holes. Nell was so focused on hitting them that Callen found himself distracted by her. Her hand moved like lightening, successfully slapping down each and every mole that appeared.

"Aren't you going to help?" she asked without taking her eyes off the game.

"Oh, I think you're doing just fine on your own." Callen laughed and stood back watching with amusement. When the game was over, Nell collected the strip of tickets which would earn her a prize when she cashed them in.

"I feel kinda bad, taking over that game." She said. "What do you want to play?"

Callen looked around and his eye was immediately drawn to a basketball free throw stall. It had five different baskets at varying distances and levels. Players got five balls to shoot and more points and therefore more tickets to win prizes were won for sinking the balls into the highest and furthest basket.

"All shots in the back basket. Loser buys beers?" he asked.

"Oh, you're on." Nell readily agreed.

Standing side by side, they each took a ball. Callen threw first, his ball sliding right into the top basket. Nell took aim next and her first shot also hit the mark.

"You played netball right?" Callen asked after he sank his second shot.

"Varsity." Nell grinned as she threw hers and dropped straight threw the net.

"Interesting, gave you some skills." He smirked as he threw his third ball and once again hit the mark.

"Some?" she glanced at him with raised eyebrows then took her shot, keeping the score even.

"Yeah, but it's no match for the real thing." Callen winked at her as he took his fourth shot and scored. Nell threw him a playful glare and aimed her shot. But just as she was releasing the ball, Callen coughed loudly, startling her, and her shot went wide, completely missing the net.

"Hey!" she exclaimed. "That's cheating."

"And moving your golf ball isn't?" Callen countered as he quickly sank his fifth and final ball, securing the win.

"Got me there." She laughed as she threw her last ball, making the shot but knowing she had lost.

"Dinner _and_ beer. I think I got the raw end of the deal." She shook her head. "Aren't you collecting your tickets?" she asked, realising Callen hadn't noticed the stall holder waiting to hand them over.

"I guess I did earn them." He grinned and leaned across her to take the tickets from the stall holder. "Let's go cash these in and then you can buy me my beer." He settled his hand on her lower back and steered her towards the stall with all the prizes.

"What'll it be folks?" the older man behind the stall asked.

"I have these." Nell handed over her tickets.

"You can pick from anything in the middle row." The man gestured to the prizes which ranged from small stuffed animals to plastic toys and mini game packs, and Nell began to scan her options.

"Add these to hers." Callen handed his over and Nell turned in surprise. "What am I going to do with a 'my little pony'." He shrugged.

"In that case Miss, you get one of these." The man reached up to the second highest row and plucked down a cute and fluffy full sized teddy bear. It was beige with dark brown patches on its paws and a bright red bow tie around its neck.

"Thanks." Nell grinned and took the bear from him, giving it the once over then flashing a smile at Callen. "He's cute."

"Uh huh." Callen shook his head. He had never seen the appeal but who was he to argue if it made her smile. "Now, how about that beer?"

xxx

Twenty minutes later they were sitting at an outside table at a busy bar near the end of the pier. It was getting late and the air was noticeably colder. Nell could feel goosebumps on her arms and rubbed them quickly.

"Didn't you have a sweater with you?" Callen asked, recalling she had one in her hand when he picked her up.

"I left it in your car." Nell replied. "I'm fine, don't worry." She smiled.

"The car's only a couple minutes away. I can run back for it." He offered.

"You don't have to." Nell replied, though touched he would offer.

"It's fine. I could use my own jacket anyway." Callen rose to his feet. "Why don't you get another round in while I'm away." He tossed a couple of bills on the table. "This one is on me." He smiled as he headed off.

When Callen returned a little over five minutes later, having donned his leather jacket and picked up Nell's sweater, he saw that she was no longer alone at their table. A man in his mid-thirties with slicked back hair and a scraggly beard was hovering very close to her and Callen could tell from her body language that she was uncomfortable. He quickly crossed over to her and situated himself at Nell's side, putting himself between her and the other man.

"Hey Nell, everything okay here." He said as he dropped his hand to her shoulder protectively. She looked up at him gratefully as the other man gave Callen the once over. With his rakish facial hair, black leather biker jacket and dark jeans and t-shirt, Callen oozed 'bad boy', and the other man straightened up, feeling a little intimidated.

"I told you my boyfriend would be back." Nell smirked, turning back to her admirer.

"You know how many times I hear that and it's actually true." The man laughed as he backed off and began to look around for his next target.

"Good timing." Nell sighed as Callen settled back down in the chair next to her.

"Boyfriend huh?" Callen asked, his eyebrows raised and a smile tugging at his lips.

"Well he was hardly going to leave me alone if I said 'Hey, my platonic friend and co-worker is coming back' was he." Nell shrugged and took a sip of beer.

"True. Here's your sweater." Callen handed her the sweater he had retrieved from the car and she shrugged it on.

"Thanks." Nell was immediately glad of the extra layer.

As they settled back into their chairs their conversation turned to work and they shared stories about operations and hijinks that one, the other or one of the team had got up to. Nell had a couple more beers while Callen switched to club soda since he was driving, and their conversation carried them from the bar, back to the car and throughout the drive home.

As Callen pulled up outside Nell's apartment, she took off her seatbelt and retrieved the teddy bear, now named 'Henry', from the foot well of the car.

"Thanks for today, I had fun." She grinned.

"Thank _you_ for rescuing me from my boredom." Callen returned the grin.

"Anytime." Nell nodded.

"You want me to walk you up?" Callen asked.

"I'm fine, but thanks." Nell nodded as she opened the car door. "I'll see you Monday."

"Yeah, enjoy the rest of the weekend." Callen told her as she stepped out.

"I will." She smiled. "Good night Callen." She added as she closed the door and backed up towards the path. Callen sat and waited as she walked the short distance to the main door and gave a wave as she stepped inside. He waited another minute or so until he saw the lights turn on in her apartment. Only then did he pull the car away from the kerb and into the street, turning it in the direction of home.

Nell watched Callen pull away from the kerb and as she set Henry down on the table by her couch, she smiled to herself. Callen was the last person she had expected to hear from that day and being honest with herself, she hadn't expected to have such a fun day. Callen was a lot less serious than she the man she knew from work. She liked that side of him and she wanted to think that now she could consider him a friend.

As Callen drove home, he couldn't help but think how glad he was that he had been so bored earlier. Without it, he wouldn't have spent all day with a fun, exciting and unpredictable woman and he wouldn't have the answer to something he questioned earlier. That afternoon he didn't know if he could actually consider her a friend, but after today, he was sure he could. And he hoped she felt the same.

**I'm still figuring out exactly how this story with all the different emotions is going to play out but I wanted this chapter to establish a friendship between Callen and Nell, because every good relationship is based on friendship. I hope there were enough 'moments' to keep you interested, and I'd appreciate a review to let me know what you thought. **


	3. Embarrassment

**Enjoy!**

Embarrassing wasn't a strong enough word to describe how Nell Jones was feeling. It did _nothing_ to describe the utter humiliation she would feel when one of her co-workers discovered her in an incredibly compromising position and completely vulnerable.

Huddled in the corner of her bathtub and as naked as the day she was born, Nell grimaced as waves of pain coursed through her shoulder and ankle. She was freezing cold and also now a little dizzy. Reaching her hand to the back of her head she felt the bump where she had knocked her head on the tap as she had fallen.

Nell didn't know the exact time because she didn't have a clock in her bathroom but she knew that pretty soon her phone would be ringing and when she didn't answer, Hetty would send someone to check on her. It was a good thing really. In their line of work, someone not turning up when they were supposed to and not being in communication could mean something terrible had happened. And since Nell had spent a fruitless half hour shouting and banging on the bathroom wall for help, her only hope of getting out of this predicament was for someone to come looking for her. But that didn't stop her feeling embarrassed at what that would mean.

And so she found herself hoping that it would at least be Kensi who came. With every ounce of faith she had, she prayed that it would be the female agent who came knocking on her door.

Suddenly she heard her cell ringing in the other room. That meant it was after 8.30am and she had been in this predicament for at least an hour. It felt like _a lot_ longer. After several rings her phone went silent. She knew they would try at least once more and after a minute she heard the ringer going again. Then she heard her home phone. Making a few calculations, she figured it would only be a half hour or so before someone came by.

"Hetty, if you somehow do have superpowers." Nell said out loud. "Please send Kensi."

xxx

Nell was shivering in the bathtub. LA may be hot but in her tiled bathroom with no external window to let in sunlight and completely naked, Nell was freezing. As she wrapped her good arm around her knees which were pulled up to her chest, she heard a loud sharp knock on her door.

"Please be Kensi. Please be Kensi." She muttered.

"Nell?" It definitely _wasn't_ Kensi. "Nell, you home?" his voice called loudly.

Why did Hetty have to send Callen? Of all the people in the world she _didn't_ want to find her like this, he was number one. She was by no means ashamed of her body but this was not how people were supposed to be seen naked. She heard her cell ringing again and knew he was calling from outside the door to see if her cell was there, indicating she might be too.

"Nell? I'm coming in." She could hear the worry in his voice and moment later she heard the door open and his footsteps walking down the hall. "Nell?" he called anxiously.

"Bathroom." She called out after just a moment's hesitation.

"You okay? We've been calling." He said, sounding a lot calmer now that he had heard her voice.

"Um, no, I'm definitely not okay." she called back.

Upon hearing those words, Callen didn't stop to think. He threw open the door to the bathroom and walked in. But catching sight of Nell in the tub, her face a picture of horror, he immediately spun around and clamped his eyes shut as she let out a gasp.

"Whoa. Sorry." He said quickly. He had only seen her head, shoulders and the tops of her knees but he knew she was in there naked.

"Oh my God, this is so embarrassing." Nell muttered.

"You're telling me." Callen murmured in response. "Uh Nell, what happened?"

"I slipped in the shower, what do you think happened?" Nell said, her voice shaking, from a mix of pain, being cold and the sheer embarrassment of her situation. "Can you _please_ get me my towel?" Nell asked desperately. Callen opened one eye and found the towel sitting on a shelf by the sink.

"Uh, you need me to help…" he started to ask as he grabbed the soft and fluffy towel.

"Just toss it over." Nell interrupted. Callen turned a little and threw the towel over to her. It landed on the edge of the tub and Nell quickly used her good arm to unfold it. It wasn't easy but she soon had the towel wrapped around her and tucked in at the front, hopefully securing it in place. Seeing that the towel only came to mid-thigh, she also made a mental note to buy some bigger towels.

"You decent?" Callen asked.

"Um, yeah." She replied, feeling a little less vulnerable now that she was covered. Callen turned and crossed over to the tub, kneeling down at its side.

"Now, what happened exactly?" he asked as he scanned her. She was huddled in the corner of the tub, her cheeks were flushed a deep red but her skin was ghostly white and she was shivering.

"I'm pretty sure I've dislocated my shoulder, my ankle is a mess and I hit my head."

"How long have you been in here?" he asked.

"Since 7.30." she replied. Callen glanced at his watch, seeing it was now 9am.

"Let me take a look." he leaned forward and gently prodded her shoulder and arm. Nell gasped in pain and pulled away from him. "Sorry." He quickly apologised. "But you're right. It's dislocated." His eyes drifted down her bare legs to her ankle. The swelling and the bruising that was already appearing confirmed she had at least sprained it. He gently examined her ankle and sighed. "Not broken but it looks like a bad sprain."

"Great." Nell sighed.

"You need to get to the hospital. Can you get up?"

"If I could get up, would I have been sitting here butt naked when you arrived?" Nell snapped.

"Good point. Sorry." Callen smiled a little. "Uh, maybe if I…" he took a moment, working out the least risky way to get her out. He was acutely aware that under the towel she was naked and by the look on her face she was mortified that he was the one who was there. He did not want to risk embarrassing her or himself any further by doing something to shift that towel as he helped.

"Okay, put your arm around my neck." Callen shifted into a crouch and leaned forward. Nell slid her arm around his neck while he tentatively slipped one arm around her back and the other under her knees. Nell was breathing quickly, terrified that when she moved the only thing covering her modesty would fall away.

Rising to his feet, Callen lifted Nell up with him, holding her close against him. She immediately felt the warmth from his body seeping into her ice cold skin and for just a moment she let her eyes close. When she opened them again she realised they were in her bedroom and Callen was lowering her down to the bed.

"Do you need help, getting dressed?" he asked.

"If you can grab me some clothes, I should manage." She nodded. She did not need Callen to help her get dressed – that was one embarrassing moment too many.

"Okay, what do you need?" Callen looked around the room.

"Uh, t-shirt and pants are in the dresser." She replied, watching as Callen crossed over to it. "Second drawer down." Callen rummaged around and pulled out a pair of black running pants and a t-shirt.

"Uh Nell. Do you need any…" he didn't finish the sentence, unable to bring himself to talk about Nell's underwear.

"No." Nell said quickly. She did not need Callen groping around in her underwear drawer to add to her embarrassment.

"Okay, here you go." He crossed back to her and handed her the clothes. "I'll uh, wait outside and call Hetty."

After calling Hetty and letting her know what had happened – purposely not mentioning the details because no-one but he and Nell needed to ever know - he hovered in the hall waiting. When Hetty had asked him to check on Nell because she hadn't come to work and wasn't answering her phone, he had been worried. But he had expected to either find her perfectly fine and having overslept but had mentally prepared himself for something bad to have happened. He did not expect to walk in on her like he did and was far from prepared to handle that. For an agent who is supposed to keep cool under pressure, he was making an ass of himself and he doubted that Nell would ever look him in the face again.

"Callen." He heard her call and he spun around, crossing to her door.

"Yeah?"

"Can you come in please."

"Uh sure." Callen opened the door and peeked around. Nell was sitting on the bed half dressed. She had managed to get on the pants, but the towel was still wrapped around her body and she held the t-shirt in her hand.

"I can't get this on myself." She looked defeated as she stared up at him.

"Oh." Callen nodded. He crossed over and took the t-shirt from her. With as much delicacy as he could muster, he tugged the shirt over her head, his head turned away from her just in case. She wriggled her good arm through the arm hole but unable to move her other arm, she left it inside the t-shirt as Callen pulled it all the way down. Once she was fully clothed she reached under the shirt and pulled the towel away and only then did Callen look back at her.

"Okay, you good to go?" Callen asked. "My car is right outside and we should get to the hospital in about twenty minutes."

"I'm good." Nell nodded. "And Callen." She paused.

"Yeah."

"Can we _never_ talk about this again?" she asked.

"You'll get no argument from me." Callen laughed as he scooped her into his arms and headed for the door.

**I'll admit, I shamelessly stole a plot line from The Big Bang Theory and played with it for my own amusement. What did you think?**


	4. Worry

**Once again, thanks to everyone who takes time to review my story. I get a big stupid grin on my face when I see those reviews and it makes me so happy that you actually enjoy what I write. I hope you like this chapter too :)**

Nell Jones was worried. It was a pit of the stomach, nausea inducing worry and she didn't like the feeling. She hadn't been able to eat, hadn't really slept. But what bothered her more was that no-one else seemed to be worried.

The team had been running surveillance and working Callen's alias for a case for months, and two days earlier Callen had gone undercover to try and break the case. Under normal circumstances she wouldn't have worried, at least not any more so than she did when the agents went into the lion's den. But this was different. It was a high risk operation and Callen went in without any means of communicating with them. They were dealing with a tech savvy home grown terrorist group and the risk of them finding an earwig, hidden camera or a wire was too high so they were relying entirely on Callen getting the intel on the mastermind behind it and getting out in one piece. Sam, Kensi and Deeks had been providing back-up and surveillance from outside the warehouse where the group were hiding out but they didn't have eyes or ears inside and that meant they wouldn't know if something went terribly wrong until it might be too late.

Nell and Eric had done everything they could to get additional support. Pulling in a few favours, Eric had secured satellite coverage which at least gave them heat signatures inside the building. Nell was keeping a constant eye on those heat signatures, monitoring when any of them moved and alerting the team when they were leaving the warehouse. Over the course of two days, several members of the group came and went and were tailed by Kensi and Deeks. Callen never emerged and while they weren't expecting him to, it made Nell nervous that she couldn't at least see or hear that he was alright.

It was late afternoon on the second day of the operation and Nell sat with her eyes glued to the screen, watching the little orange heat signatures. She tapped her fingers on the desk, chewing down on her lower lip.

"Coleman's returning." She heard Deeks in her ear.

"Got him." She replied as she spotted his heat signature pop up on the screen. "He's moving to the back of the warehouse." She counted the heat signatures. All seven were present and accounted for. But as she watched them move about, she grew concerned. Six of the seven signatures grouped together at one end of the warehouse. In two days, she hadn't seen them gather together like that and it turned her stomach. They were having some kind of meeting and one of them wasn't included. She didn't need a visual to know that Callen was the outsider.

"Sam, I think something's wrong." She said.

"Nell?" Sam asked.

"Six of them are grouped together."

"I need more than that Nell." Sam sighed.

"I can't explain it. It's just…it's strange Sam." She said, frustrated that she didn't have a proper explanation or evidence to back up her intuition.

"Deeks, Kensi, where did Coleman go?" Sam asked.

"The store." Deeks sighed. "He went in, picked up food and left."

"He didn't talk to anyone?" Sam checked.

"Nope." Kensi replied.

"Sam, they're moving in on the seventh figure." Nell said anxiously. It frustrated her that the rest of the team didn't share her concern.

"You think Callen's been made?" Sam asked.

"How could he be?" Kensi responded.

"Gunfire!" Deeks suddenly exclaimed.

"We're going in!" Sam shouted back.

Nell sat rigid in her seat, her hand covering her mouth. She saw the seven heat signatures dart about the warehouse then three more joined them. She tried to keep an eye on the ones she knew were Sam, Kensi and Deeks but it got very confusing very quickly. On the screen, three orange dots merged together which she interpreted as close quarters fighting, with who she assumed was Callen at the centre. In her ear she could hear shots being fired repeatedly and one by one, the orange dots in front of her stopped moving. When everything went silent, she bit down on her hand as she counted the motionless dots, wanting to only see six. Six would mean four agents were alive and six terrorists were down. But there were seven. Seven dots weren't moving and three were. She held her breath for what seemed like minutes, waiting to hear from one of the agents what was going on.

"Who's got eyes on Callen?" she heard Sam ask. She hitched in a breath, needing for confirmation he was okay. It felt like an eternity before she heard Deeks.

"Got him. He's good."

Nell watched the orange dots, exhaling a breath she didn't know she had been holding, as one of the seven motionless dots began to move towards the other three. _Callen_.

Whipping her earpiece off, Nell sank her head into her hands and breathed. In all her time at NCIS, with everything she had seen, this had been the worst. Not because it was the most dangerous, not because someone was hurt, but because she didn't know. For two days she didn't know what was happening and she didn't like it one bit.

As she tried to gather her wits, the phone rang with Hetty's name popping up on the ID.

"Ops, Nell speaking." She said a little breathlessly.

"Ms Jones, I need you to meet Mr Hanna and Mr Callen at the boatshed."

"Me?" Nell asked.

"Yes Ms Jones. Mr Callen retrieved a thumb drive which he believes contains information on the man funding the cell. We'll need you to take a look at it. And you'll need to take over the first aid kit."

"The first aid kit?" Nell asked as her stomach flip flopped. That meant someone was hurt and remembering the three dots blurring into one, she could only imagine it was Callen.

"Mr Callen, as he explained it, 'got into it' with a couple of the group." Hetty explained. "And Mr Hanna had a close shave with a bullet. They need a little patching up."

"Uh, sure. I can do that." Nell nodded, her head swimming a little.

When Hetty hung up, Nell pushed her chair back and with a heavy sigh she made her way out of ops and to the supply closet.

xxx

Fifteen minutes later, Nell approached the door to the boatshed. She could hear Sam and Callen inside laughing and joking about their injuries. She worried that they could do that – joke about being sucker punched and not having Keanu Reeves' Matrix moves to avoid bullets, when they could so easily have been killed. Taking a deep breath she stepped through the door.

"Sam. Callen." She greeted them with a solemn face. Her eyes immediately widened when she laid eyes on Callen and saw a bloody cut above his eyebrow, a split lip, black eye and bruised jaw.

"Hey Nell." Callen replied, his eyes travelling to the bag she carried. "No Hetty?"

"Hetty." she paused. "Sent me." She replied as she dropped the bag down heavily on the coffee table. She saw Callen glance anxiously at Sam before looking back to her.

"What's in the bag?" he asked, eyeing it with suspicion.

"First aid kit and ice packs." She replied as she fished out an ice-pack and tossed it to him. "Sam, Hetty said you were grazed by a bullet." She turned to the large agent and looked him over, spotting the injury on his right arm. His shirt was torn and a decent amount of blood stained the dark green material.

"It's nothing." Sam shrugged.

"Needs cleaned all the same." She said quietly as she lifted the kit from the bag.

Opening it up, she removed some rubbing alcohol and cotton pads and after preparing a few she sat beside Sam and cleaned up his arm where the bullet grazed him. As she worked, Sam looked over at Callen, a questioning look on his face. Callen had picked up on what Sam was noticing too and shrugged, not having any idea why the normally perky analyst seemed so quiet.

As Nell finished up by pressing a bandaid over the graze, she bundled the used cotton pads into a plastic bag, oblivious to Callen staring at her with concern in his eyes.

"You're done Sam." She said softly.

"Thanks Nell." Sam replied as he rose to his feet while Nell set about preparing a few more for Callen. "I'll see you back at the office." He waved at Callen as he sauntered towards the door.

"Hey Nell, I'll need you to take a look at this." Callen fished the thumb drive Hetty had mentioned out of his pocket and handed it to Nell as she moved to sit beside him on the couch.

"I'll take a look…as soon as we're done here." Nell said quietly as she placed it down on the table before turning her attention to the first aid kit. Callen watched her and his eyes narrowed. She had seemed a little off when she first arrived and she had been uncharacteristically quiet, but now she actually looked upset and he wasn't sure why.

"Let me take a look." Nell took his chin in her hand and began to visually assess his cuts, turning his head from side to side. "Not as bad as I first thought."

"They feel bad." Callen sulked.

"Better than being dead." Nell muttered. Callen froze and shifted his eyes to her face, surprised to hear such a comment coming from her.

"Nell…" he began but was interrupted when Nell came at him with a cotton pad and began to dab at the cut to his head.

"That stings." He complained.

"It's a small price to pay to be alive." She murmured. Callen fell silent, his eyes watching her carefully as she tended to his wounds. She was biting down on her lower lip and there was no mistaking the glassy look of tears in her eyes. It was then that he saw her hands trembling and he knew something was very wrong.

"Nell." He said firmly, lifting his hands and pulling hers away from him and down to his lap. "What's wrong?" he asked softly.

"Nothing." She shook her head. "I need to finish." She moved to pull her hands away but he held them tightly.

"Nell."

She couldn't look at him. She could feel tears pricking at her eyes and it frustrated her that her emotions were getting the better of her, especially when she had no cause. She knew exactly why she had been so worried but the operation was over and Callen was fine. There was no reason for her to be upset now.

"It's just a few cuts and bruises." Callen told her, thinking that had to be the reason she was upset. "It's nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about!" Nell exclaimed. "Do you not realise…" She stopped suddenly when she realised he how intensely he was staring at her. "Just let me finish and I can go look at the thumb drive." She pulled her hands from his, aware that she could only do so because he released her.

"Nell, were you…worried about me?" Callen asked as she placed a bandaid over the cut to his head.

"I worry about all of you." She replied quietly as she took a cotton pad to his lip and cleaned away the blood, trying to ignore the shaking in her hands. She wasn't ready to admit to herself that she actually worried about him just a little bit more than the others and what that meant.

"Nell, why are you so upset?" he asked grabbed her hand to still her movements, his eyes searching her face for answers. She turned her head away from him but he drew her back to him with a finger hooked under her chin.

"Please, tell me what's wrong?" he was worried at this uncharacteristic reaction from her.

She opened her mouth to speak, to explain that for two days she felt like she had no control and that she couldn't stand not knowing what was happening to him, but instead of words coming out she let out a soft almost inaudible cry. And then his arms were around her, pulling her to him. She buried her head in his chest and let a few tears fall as he rubbed circles on her back, feeling immediate comfort from his gentle touch.

Callen was confused and concerned and felt a surge of protectiveness towards the woman in his arms. He had never seen Nell this emotional before, hell he'd never seen her emotional at all. Nothing ever seemed to get to her, not even the cases that had him on edge. He wanted to fix whatever was worrying and upsetting her, but he had no idea where it was coming from.

"It's okay Nell, everything's okay." He soothed.

"It's not okay." Nell murmured into his chest before she pulled back. "I shouldn't let it get to me like this."

"Let what get to you? I don't understand Nell." Callen shook his head.

"I see and hear everything." She began, finally finding the words to explain. "Every op, every step of the way I know what's going on, I know you're safe." Suddenly it all made sense to Callen.

"But I was out of communication and you were worried because you didn't know what was happening."

"I didn't know if you were in trouble, if you were hurt and needed help." She wiped her tear stained cheeks and sniffed. "And just now I heard you and Sam. You were joking about getting injured and I just…it's like it doesn't matter to you." She shook her head and averted her gaze to her lap.

"It's not that we take it lightly Nell. We're all too aware of the danger but humour is the way we deal with that." He sighed softly. "I'm sorry it upset you." Callen explained. "But it's nice to know you care about me." He smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

"Don't get a big head or anything." She smiled back. "I'd be just as worried if it had been Sam or Kensi or Deeks." She added, even though she knew that wasn't entirely true.

"Way to make a guy feel special." Callen chuckled. "But seriously, are you okay?" he asked as he moved his hands from her back to rub her arms gently.

"I'm fine." She nodded. "Sorry I freaked out."

"Don't be sorry Nell. It really is nice that you care." He reached out and tucked her hair behind one ear, his fingers lingering a moment longer than necessary.

"I should get this back to ops and see what we've got." Nell said suddenly, picking up the thumb drive and getting to her feet. "You should keep that ice-pack on your face or the swelling will get worse." After her little breakdown, she was feeling too vulnerable for her own liking and needed to get back to the professional she knew she was.

"Nell." Callen looked up at her and grabbed her hand to stop her leaving.

"Yeah?" she was a little started by the concern in his eyes and the strange feeling rushing through her as she glanced down at his hand holding hers.

"You can always talk to me." He said. "I mean, if anything is worrying you." He added as he let go of her hand.

"I'll keep that in mind." Her smile was small but genuine. "And I'll let you know what I find." She held up the thumb drive as she moved towards the door.

Callen watched her leave and though she seemed to be okay now, he wondered if maybe he needed to keep a closer eye on her. He often forgot how young and inexperienced she really was because she came across so confident and never failed in her job. But as he sank back into the couch with the ice-pack pressed to his face and let his mind wander to the time they had spent together outside of work and how that made him feel, he began to realise there might be more to it than him simply wanting to make sure a colleague and friend was alright.

**I always appreciate a review :)**


	5. Amusement

**Okay, so this was actually meant to be a short chapter but something happened halfway through and it morphed into this and I unexpectedly propelled my two favourite characters towards discovering their true feelings. Whoops. I hope you enjoy :) Zoe**

It was early Friday evening and Callen was leaning against the stone wall of the OSP building, his arms folded across his chest and one ankle crossed over the other. A smile was on his face and a laugh was threatening to burst out. He had been watching Nell for fifteen minutes and the only word to describe it was amusing.

In the parking lot next to the office, Nell had the hood of her mini cooper up and she was poking around the engine. What really amused him was that she clearly had no idea what she was doing - the dead give-away being the "Auto Repair for Dummies" book he had seen her bring out her bag which was now sitting open on top of the engine.

When Callen first noticed Nell, he had contemplated walking over and offering his help. But Nell Jones was nothing if not self-sufficient and though she would (usually) ask for help when she realised she could not accomplish a task by herself, it seemed important to her to be able to do things on her own, and apparently today that meant trying to fix whatever was wrong with her car.

Callen thought back to the first time he experienced this independent side of the young analyst and how amusing it had been. It was maybe her third or fourth week with OSP and he had returned from the field and was headed straight up to ops to check in with Eric.

_Callen breezed through the doors to ops but stopped abruptly, his eyes travelling upwards and his eyebrows rising in surprise. Nell was standing on the large table in the middle of the room in her stocking feet, her arms stretched above her as she screwed a fresh light bulb into one of the light fittings. _

"_Uh, Nell." He said, drawing her attention. "You know we have Facilities to do that for us?" he asked._

"_I know." She responded brightly as she glanced down to meet his curious gaze._

"_So, um, why are you…" he began._

"_I called Facilities." She explained as she twisted in the bulb. "They can't get here until this afternoon because of a problem in the furnace room and I need light to do my work." She shrugged as she looked down at him. "Like my Grandma always says; if you need something doing…"_

"_Do it yourself." Callen finished with a smile._

"_Right." Nell confirmed as she screwed the bulb in. _

"_So you decided to just hop on up and do it yourself?" Callen was amused and a chuckle escaped his lips. Nell hadn't been with them long but she was proving to be a rather unique addition to the staff and he had a feeling things would always be interesting with her around. _

"_Why not." Nell replied. "The bulbs were in the storage cupboard and it's not hard to change." She explained. _

"_But it's not exactly safe. You could fall and hurt yourself." Callen pointed out as he extended a hand, offering it to her to help her down. She waved him off, instead crouching down then moving to sit on the edge of the table before finally sliding off and standing up straight beside him. _

"_You worry too much." Nell replied as she crouched down and slipped her boots back onto her feet._

Callen chuckled at the memory and turned his attention back to the present. Nell was focused intently, with both hands reaching inside the engine, her head turning as she took a moment to look at the book. Suddenly she yelped and yanked one hand back. For Callen, the fun was over. He lifted himself off the wall and started towards her, concerned she may have hurt herself.

"You okay?" he asked as got close. Nell whipped her head around, surprised to see him since she thought he had left with Sam an hour earlier.

"Yeah." She sighed as she rubbed her hand. "Fine."

"Let me see." He said softly as he took her hand and turned it over, looking for any sign of an injury. Nell froze and stared at her hand, her stomach twisting in nervous knots as his fingers stroked over her skin. She could feel her cheeks getting a little flushed and hoped it wasn't obvious.

"All good." He smiled as he released her hand. "So, whatcha doing?" Callen glanced at the engine.

"Fixing my car." She replied.

"Well I can see that." Callen chuckled. "What's wrong with it?"

"I think it's the battery."

"You think?"

"Well that's what the book suggests." Nell looked a little sheepish as her eyes drifted to the book sitting open before them.

"Is it starting at all?" Callen asked as he leaned in and took a closer look.

"Nope." Nell shook her head.

"Why didn't you just call for a tow truck, get it taken to a garage?" he asked.

"It's a waste of money if I can just fix it myself."

Callen had to restrain a bark of laughter - this was maybe taking self-sufficiency to the extreme. Even he would take his car in to a mechanic when it needed something more than an oil change.

"Can I?" Callen looked to her for permission to take a good look.

"Uh sure." Nell nodded and stepped aside as Callen leaned in and began tweaking wires and checking the leads.

"Sorry Nell, it looks like you're going to need a whole new battery." He said as he brushed his hands off on his jeans. "I can rig it to get you home tonight but you should really take it in to a garage."

Nell sighed heavily at the thought of the cost of that. Living in LA wasn't cheap, and though her job paid pretty well, her rent was high because she lived alone in a good neighbourhood – a necessity in her line of work.

"Looks like it'll be bagged lunches for the rest of the month then." She sighed as she ran a hand through her hair.

Callen suddenly felt bad. As amusing as it was to see her trying to fix her own car, clearly part of it was due to the cost of getting a mechanic to do the work.

"I could fix it for you." Callen offered.

"You can fix it?" she asked, her eyes brightening.

"I'll need to pick up a new battery but yeah, I can fix it." Callen told her. He wasn't a mechanic but he had enough experience with cars to be able to fix most problems when necessary, and switching out a battery was one of the easier jobs.

"Give me a few minutes and I'll get you on your way." Callen smiled and turned back to the car as Nell looked on.

"So you know a lot about cars?" Nell asked as she slid over to stand beside him, watching as he worked.

"A bit." Callen smiled and glanced over at her. "I've picked up a few tricks over the years."

"I wish I knew more." Nell sighed.

"It's not hard to learn. But you won't learn it from a book." He grinned at her as her eyes fell onto the book still sitting open. "I could teach you the basics." He offered. "If you're not busy tomorrow, I can swing by and switch out the battery, maybe show you a few things?" Callen turned to look at Nell, feeling nervous as he awaited her answer.

"I'd like that." She replied.

"Okay then." He nodded, hoping his facial expression didn't give away his delight. "Why don't you turn over the engine, see if this works?" Callen told her as he stepped back from the car. Nell moved around to the drivers' side and leaning in, she turned the key. After spluttering for a moment, the engine suddenly roared to life and Nell beamed at Callen.

"You did it!" she exclaimed, a broad smile crossing her face. "Thanks."

"No problem." Callen replied as he wiped his hands on his jeans. "So tomorrow? I'll come by around noon?" Callen asked.

"Sure." Nell smiled.

"Oh here." Callen lifted the book from the engine and handed it over to Nell before he closed the hood. "Hopefully, you won't be needing this much longer."

"I guess that depends on how good a teacher you are." Nell flashed him a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow." She added as she climbed into her car.

Callen watched Nell pull away and couldn't help but smile. He had been looking for an opportunity to spend more time with Nell since realising he might actually have feelings for her after their talk in the boatshed a few weeks earlier. There was something about her that attracted him and if he were honest, he had felt it since he had spent the day with her at Santa Monica Pier. But seeing her so upset and worried for him that day had stirred those feelings he knew he needed to explore them.

Xxx

Nell was nervous. It was almost midday and Callen was due at her apartment any time now. She had been surprised when he had offered to fix her car for her, and more surprised when he had offered to teach her a few things about car maintenance. She figured he had better things to do with his time than that but she wasn't about to turn down the opportunity to spend some time alone with him.

She had spent the morning making sure her apartment was clean and that there was nothing embarrassing lying around. Not that anything could be more embarrassing than him having to rescue her from her bathroom when she fell and he _almost_ saw her naked. She had also changed outfits twice, finally settling on a pair of worn jeans, a plain green t-shirt and sneakers. Since they would be working on the car, she didn't want to ruin any of her good clothes.

Glancing at the clock, Nell picked up her keys and headed down to the parking lot at the back of her building where her car was. As she crossed to her car, she saw Callen pulling in, and raising her hand to shield her eyes from the sun, she waved. He parked his car next to hers and climbed out.

"Hey." He called as she walked over to meet him.

"Hi." She replied as he walked to the trunk of his car and lifted it up. Her eyes travelled from his head to his feet and she sucked in a breath. Callen was wearing a tight fitting t-shirt that showed off every muscle he had, and a pair _very_ well fitting blue jeans. He also had several days growth on his face and she briefly wondered if he knew how good looking he was, or if he was one of those guys who was oblivious to the effect they had on women.

"Nell?" Callen asked.

"What, sorry?" Nell snapped from her thoughts to realise Callen had asked her a question.

"I was just asking if you were ready to get started." Callen smiled. He hadn't missed the way she had been staring at him a moment ago, and it gave him hope that maybe he wasn't the only one with feelings.

"Sure, I'm ready." She smiled and followed him as he took the new battery and moved round to the front of her car.

For the next hour, Callen patiently showed Nell how change the battery safely. Bent over the engine of the car, their arms brushed against each other as they worked and Nell just hoped he didn't feel her shudder each time it happened. She also hoped he didn't notice how much she was staring at him and not what they were doing. But she couldn't help it. With his arm muscles flexing with every move he made, and his ruggedly handsome face glancing at hers every so often, Nell only had one word for him - sexy. And it was driving her to distraction. How did he not realise what effect he had on her?

"Okay, turn her over." Callen announced as he brushed his hands together. Nell moved around the car and turned the engine on, her face erupting into one of delight when it started first time.

"We did it." She grinned.

"Yeah." Callen replied as he wiped his forehead with his arm.

"You want something to drink?" Nell asked.

"Uh, yeah." Callen replied. "Water would be good."

"Okay, I'll be right back." Nell headed back towards her building, oblivious to Callen staring after her.

When she returned, she didn't immediately see Callen. Looking around, she wondered where he had gone but found her answer as she rounded her car. He had jacked her car up and was underneath it, only his legs and upper body visible. She stood and stared for a minute, seeing his abs contract through his t-shirt as he poked around under the car. As if realising she had returned, he shimmied out and got to his feet. Nell's eyes opened wide and her jaw dropped a little as he lifted the bottom of his t-shirt up and wiped the sweat from his face, revealing his toned, muscular chest.

"Water?" Nell offered weakly, holding the bottle out to him.

"Thanks." He grinned. "You alright?" he asked, seeing her face looking a little shocked.

"Me? I'm fine, absolutely fine." Nell nodded enthusiastically, not wanting him to know just why she was stunned into near silence.

"I was checking your oil, and it could really do with a change. So if you want, I can show you how to do that?" Callen asked.

"Okay." Nell nodded numbly, unable to get the image of his bare chest out her head.

Callen turned to the car and gestured for her to join him. Nell stepped over as Callen took a step back and moved her to stand in front of him, his arms at either side of hers, resting on the edge of the hood. He began to talk about the oil and how they would drain it but all Nell could think about was how he was curled around her, his chest pressing into her back and his lips so close to her neck she could feel his breath on her skin with every word he spoke. In that moment she realised something. He was doing it deliberately. Special Agent G Callen was _flirting_ with her.

Deciding that two could play that game, Nell sucked in a deep breath and turned to him. The fact that he was so close to her meant as soon as she turned around, their bodies were pressed close together and she saw a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

"So, the oil change?" she asked, batting her eyelashes and catching her lower lip between her teeth, smiling a little.

"Right." Callen nodded and backed up just a step, taken off guard by her obvious flirting. "I'll get the oil, maybe you can find something to drain the old oil into?" he turned and moved quickly to his car. Nell smiled to herself as she headed to her apartment building for a container. It was amusing to find out how easily she could throw the agent off balance.

She had no idea what was going on between them. Of course she _had_ noticed a difference in the way he was with her but she had put that down to them becoming friends. And she knew that she liked him. She had become all too aware of that when he was on that undercover operation and she had been so worried about him. But it never occurred to her until now that maybe he liked her too, as more than a friend. As she returned to her car and met back up with Callen, she decided there was no harm in a little flirting.

Callen seemed to have composed himself when she returned. He was all business, showing her how to drain the oil and explaining why it should be changed regularly and that she should check the level frequently to ensure maximum performance for the engine.

With the old oil drained, they stood side by side in front of the engine as Nell poured the fresh oil in using a funnel. When it was done, she put the cap back on but as she pulled her hands back she saw they were both covered with a black gritty and oily substance from touching parts of the engine.

"Gross." She muttered as she looked around for something to wipe her hands on.

"It's just a little oil." Callen laughed.

"So you won't mind if I…" Nell stepped forward and placing her hands palm down on his chest and dragged them downwards, wiping off the residue.

"Hey." Callen laughed and grabbed her hands in his.

"You're getting more on me." Nell shrieked as she tried to pull herself from his grip. Callen released her but as she backed away, he reached out and ran a finger down her cheek, leaving a trail of black residue on her. Pouting, she retaliated by planting both her hands on his cheeks, leaving large patches on his skin.

All of a sudden they found themselves engaged in a childish game, each trying to get more dirt and oil on the other. Nell was giggling and jumping to get away while Callen lunged towards her. Suddenly, she turned ran several feet across the parking lot to the small garden area, and before Callen could catch up, she grabbed the gardeners hose and aimed it at Callen.

"Oh no you don't." Callen warned playfully as he ran towards her. Nell turned the hose on and a spray of water shot out the end, instantly soaking Callen. But he didn't back away, instead suffering the wet and trying to grab the hose from her. In their struggle, Nell shrieked with laughter as the cold water hit her skin and soaked her through. Callen quickly used her distraction to move behind Nell and with his arms wrapped around her he gained control over the hose.

"I give, I give." Nell gasped.

"So I win?" Callen whispered in her ear.

"You win…this time." She replied.

"Alright then." Callen laughed and let her go before reaching to turn the hose off. "You're soaked." He said as he turned back to Nell. She glanced down at her t-shirt which was now clinging to every curve of her body.

"Uh, you're not so dry yourself." She laughed. "Come on upstairs, I'll get you a towel." She told him as she shook her head, water falling from her hair.

"I'll meet you up there." Callen nodded as he walked back to his car.

Xxx

Nell was towelling her hair dry when Callen tapped at her door. Opening it, she let him in and realised he was carrying a change of clothes.

"Boy Scout?" she grinned.

"Something like that." Callen nodded with a smile.

"Here." Nell handed him a towel. "Bathroom is right there."

"I remember." Callen grinned.

While Callen changed in the bathroom, Nell stripped off her wet clothes and changed into fresh jeans and a t-shirt before heading to the lounge.

Callen emerged from the bathroom after just a couple of minutes and joined Nell in the lounge. As she turned to face him she saw his face break into a wide smile.

"What?" she asked.

"You uh, you missed a few bits." He smiled, indicating to her face and hands.

"I did?" Nell asked as she moved to the kitchen and dampened a cloth. "Where?"

"Here, let me." Callen stepped forward and took the cloth from her. The he took her oil stained hand in his and slowly wiped the residue away. "You missed a bit here too." He said as he reached out and cupped her cheek with one hand, the other gently wiping the oil away with the cloth.

Nell found herself breathing heavily as he stood close to her, tingling under his ministrations. Harmless flirting was one thing but she suddenly got the feeling they were straying into something more serious and as she looked up and met his eyes, she could tell he was thinking the same thing. His hand stilled and as he gazed down into her beautiful hazel eyes, he flicked his tongue over his lips and leaned down towards her just a little. He saw Nell hitch in a breath and blink and it snapped him from the moment.

"Uh, I think I got it all." He said as he dropped his hands away like he was touching fire.

"Thanks." She said quietly as she took a step back, putting some distance between them.

"No problem." He replied as he handed her the cloth back then stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets.

"And thanks for helping with my car. I really appreciate it."

"Anytime. I had fun." Callen smiled. "But I should probably go. I'm meeting Sam for drinks later and I think I need a shower." He laughed softly.

"Okay." Nell nodded. "I'll see you at work then?" she asked as she walked him down the hall.

"Yeah." He smiled. "I'll see you at work."

Nell watched him walk down the hall, not closing the door until he had disappeared from view. As she turned, she leaned against the door and sighed, closing her eyes. She was confused by her feelings for Callen and confused over how he felt for her. If he really did like her and she really did like him, could they possibly make something of it?

As Callen drove home, his mind far from concentrating on the road in front of him. When he had offered to help Nell with her car, he knew he would have a good time. But something had definitely changed. They weren't just friends. He had openly flirted with her and she had, unless he was very much mistaken, flirted back with him. And there was a brief moment in her apartment when he thought about kissing her. She was right there in front of him and he had a feeling she wouldn't have run if he had, but he had backed off and now he didn't know what to think. He wasn't used to feeling this unsure and as he pulled into his driveway, he knew that one way or another, he would have to resolve things.

**So, what did you think?**


	6. Grief

**I hope you enjoy this next chapter. It's a little intense but we're getting one step closer to what we all want. Zoe.**

Callen knew there was something wrong with Nell. Just three days earlier he had been with her fixing her car and she had been in good spirits, great spirits. But since Monday she had been quiet and withdrawn. At first he had worried that it was something he had done – that he had been too forward with her and she was now feeling uncomfortable. But when he saw her acting the same way with everyone he realised it had to be something more. He also noticed her checking her phone on a regular basis. Every spare moment she would glance at it and her face would fall when there was clearly no new message or phone call.

By Tuesday afternoon Callen decided he would talk to her – it was his job as team leader to look out for his people, but his reasons were entirely personal. She was hurting over something and he wanted to help. But as he headed up to ops to catch her, she passed him in the hall, her phone glued to her ear and her eyes wide and glassy. Callen had been around long enough to know that whatever she was hearing was bad news. He let her pass him but hovered at the other end of the hall, watching her as she came to a stop at one of the windows and leaned against the wall. She was too far away for him to hear what she was saying but when she wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, he knew what was wrong and his heart ached for her.

Nell ended the call and sucked in a few deep breaths. It was the call she had both been waiting for and wishing wouldn't come. Her mind was racing with everything she needed to do. She needed a flight home, she needed to talk to Hetty, there was work she had to finish and other work she would need someone to take over. It all felt like too much and she hung her head, fighting back tears.

"Nell?" Callen asked softly as he approached.

"I'm alright." She replied immediately as she wrapped one arm across her stomach and took deep breaths.

"No, you're not." Callen took her elbow and walked her further down the hall to a darkened corner, sitting her down on a bench. Then, taking a seat next to her, he turned his body towards her and waited. He knew better than to press her. She would talk when she was ready.

"My Grandpa passed away this morning." She said after several minutes of silence. Callen hung his head and sighed.

"I'm sorry Nell."

"My mom called on Sunday. He had a heart attack and they got him to the hospital but this morning he had another massive…" she paused and gulped heavily, holding back tears. "…heart attack and they couldn't save him."

Callen noticed the death grip she had on her cell phone and the trembling of her other hand as it lay on her lap. He reached out and took her hand in both of his, his thumb stroking the skin on the back of her hand. It was clear from her reaction to the news that she was close to her grandfather, and although Callen had lost his family at a young age and had few memories of them he still understood how she was feeling.

"What do you need?" he asked.

"I need to go home to my family." Nell nodded as she lifted her head to look at him.

"Okay. That can be arranged." Callen felt his heart tug as Nell looked at him with her big hazel eyes, pain and grief taking over the usual spark they had. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms and hold her, tell her everything would be okay and take her pain away. But as much as he wanted to do that, this wasn't the place for it. Instead, he walked her down to talk to Hetty so arrangements could be made to get her home.

Xxx

It was the morning of her Grandfather's funeral and Nell was bustling around her parents' home, making sure everything was ready. She had arrived home first thing Wednesday morning and since then she had spent every moment making arrangements or helping her family by looking after the kids, running errands and ferrying relatives from one place to another. She had been glad of the distraction of having tasks to do because if she stopped for too long, she was afraid she would break down and not pick herself back up again. The loss she felt was nearly overwhelming but her family needed her to be strong. She knew she would have tome to grieve later, when she was alone.

The doorbell rang as she came down the stairs and seeing no-one else around, she walked over and pulled open the large wooden door.

"Delivery." A young boy said as he held out a large bouquet of flowers. The Jones family had been receiving such deliveries several times a day for the last two days so Nell simply signed the worksheet and accepted the bouquet.

"More flowers for you and Dad." She said as she set them down on the kitchen counter and turned to help her cousin set out food for the wake later. Her mother crossed the room and a small smile appeared her lips as she looked at the arrangement then she poked around, searching for a card. Finding it tucked between two stems, she pulled it out and read the message.

"Nell sweetie, these aren't for me and your father." She said, handing the card to Nell.

"What do you mean?" Nell asked as she glanced down at the card.

_Thinking of you, love Hetty, Sam, Marty, Kensi, Eric and Callen_

Nell's eyes welled up and she smiled at the thoughtfulness of her friends and colleagues.

"That was very nice of your colleagues." Her mom said. As far as she was concerned, Nell worked for a TV station and the names on the card were colleagues she sometimes heard about but never in any great detail.

"It was." Nell smiled a little as she slipped the card into her pocket of her dress and moved the flowers to the table by the window. "Mom, you should get changed. The cars will be here soon."

Xxx

Though no day was a good day for a funeral, a warm and sunny day was about as much as Nell could have asked for. Family and friends were gathered at the graveside and Nell was comforted at how many people had turned out. Her grandfather had been a popular man and was well liked in their community, but she hadn't expected quite so many mourners and it was heartening to know he would be missed.

Throughout the service, Nell stood stiffly next to her mother trying to keep control of herself. The skirt of her simple short sleeved black dress rustled around her knees as a warm breeze snaked through the crowd. She listened as family and friends took turns to talk about her Grandfather, how much they would miss him, the things he had taught them, what they would take away from having known him. Behind her dark glasses, Nell let a few restrained tears fall as she clasped her mothers' hand in hers and felt the strong hand of her father on her shoulder. All too soon yet not soon enough it was over and mourners began to move forward, leaving single white roses on top of the coffin.

As the mourners began to shift and created a break in the crowd, Nell glanced around and her breath caught in throat when she spotted an all too familiar face. He was there, standing unassumingly at the back wearing a black morning suit, white shirt and black tie. He was the last person she expected to see but the one person she most wanted to see in that moment.

"I'll be right back." She leaned in and whispered to her mother, before she let go of her hand and stepped across the soft grass towards him, still unable to believe he had actually flown all the way out.

Callen spotted her coming over immediately and he turned towards her, slipping his hands into his pockets. He was nervous, unsure of how she was going to react to him being there. He briefly wondered if he should have called or sent a message that he was coming.

"It was a beautiful service." Callen said softly when she stood before him.

"You came." She said with surprise, as she pulled off her sunglasses and perched them on top of her head.

"The others wanted to be here too. But we're working a case." He explained as Nell nodded her understanding.

"I didn't expect any of you to be here." She said as she began to walk, leading him away from the crowd to a quieter spot. "Thank you for coming. It means a lot to me that you did."

"I wanted to be here for you." Callen said as he placed his hands on her upper arms. "How are you doing?" he asked as his eyes searched her face. She was pale and her eyes were tired and red rimmed like she had hadn't slept for days.

"I've been better." She sighed. "But I'm alright. How long can you stay?" she asked.

"I have to go straight back to the airport." He said, seeing immediate disappointment in her face. "I'm sorry I can't stay longer." Callen told her as he squeezed her arms gently. "I need to be back in LA by tonight for the case."

"I understand." Nell nodded. "Will you tell the others thank you, for the flowers? They're beautiful."

"I will." He said. "Uh, it looks like you're parents are ready to go." Callen glanced over her shoulder to see an older man and woman watching them.

"I should…" Nell trailed off as she glanced quickly over her shoulder.

"Take care of yourself Nell." Callen said softly as he wrapped his arms around her and gave her an all too brief hug. "I'll see you when you get back home." He added, before lifting a hand to her neck, and leaning down to place a tender kiss on her cheek.

As Nell began to walk back to her family, Callen stood and watched. She was being so strong and holding everything together. As she joined her parents and he saw the way she supported them, making sure her mother had her jacket and giving her father a reassuring hug, he wondered who was supporting her.

Nell fell into step between her parents as she joined them and they headed for the car to take them back to the Jones house for the wake.

"Who was that dear?" her mother asked wearily.

"Callen. From work." Nell replied.

"Is he joining us at the house?"

"No." Nell shook her head. "He has to get back to LA."

"He flew all the way here just for the service?" her mother asked with surprise in her voice. "He must really care about you." She glanced down at her daughter, wondering what it was that Nell wasn't telling her about this mystery man she had heard so little about.

"I think he does." Nell said quietly as she glanced over her shoulder to see Callen still standing where she left him, watching her leave.

Xxx

Nell arrived home around seven on Sunday evening, exhausted and emotional. She had barely slept since Tuesday and the intensity of the past week was catching up to her. Leaving her bags in the hall, she changed into a pair of sweats and a t-shirt and moved through to the kitchen to make some tea. As she stared at the teapot she felt herself becoming overwhelmed with grief and her hands gripped the edge of the counter as she took a few steadying breaths. In the past few days she had cried but she had cried alone. She had been hugged, but it was in comforting her family. As independent and controlled as she was, in that moment all Nell wanted was someone to hold her and comfort her. For once in her life she just wanted to let go and it wasn't just anybody she wanted. She wanted him.

A sudden rap on her front door startled her and as she stared through her apartment down the hall to the door, she didn't let herself think that it might be him. As she walked towards the door she told herself it was too much to ask for. And even as she pulled the door open and she saw Callen, the one person she wanted to see more than anything in the world, standing on the other side of it, she almost didn't believe it.

"Hey, welcome home." He said.

"You're here." She gasped. "How did you know I was back?"

"Eric." Callen shrugged. "Can I come in?" Nell quickly stepped aside and let him pass, following him as he headed straight to her lounge.

"How was your flight?" he asked as he shrugged off his jacket and lay it down on the arm of the couch.

"It was fine." She said quietly as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"And how are _you_?" he asked as he took a few steps towards her.

Nell looked into his eyes and the care and concern she saw in them was the straw the broke the camel's back. She couldn't answer him. She could only shake her head as she felt tears burning behind her eyes.

"What can I do?" Callen asked as he closed the distance between them.

"Can you just…" Nell didn't finish, she just reached out and grasped at his t-shirt. Callen knew what she needed and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest.

"It's okay Nell." He soothed. "It's okay, I got you. I got you." He told her as she began to sob, her whole body shaking in his arms.

Nell didn't notice him moving her the few feet to the couch and lowering her down. All she cared about was that he was giving her exactly what she needed. She felt safe and comforted and that allowed her to let go of everything and just cry. As he gathered her in his arms and she drew her legs up under her, she cried for the loss of her grandfather and the pain and heartache that brought her. She cried for the memories of him she was left with and the memories of him she wouldn't get to have now that he was gone. She cried over the knowledge that she would never get to see him or speak to him ever again.

Callen had only seen Nell emotional once before and it had surprised him then. But surprise wasn't the word to describe what he felt as he held her in his arms while she wept. What he felt was her pain because he carried the loss of his entire family every day. He tightened his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I know it hurts." He whispered as he began to rub her back. "But you're gonna be okay."

xxx

It had taken an hour but Nell had gone from shaking and sobbing in Callen's arms to completely limp and silent. He stroked the back of her head and twisted to look down at her face which was buried in his chest. Thinking she might have cried herself to sleep, he was surprised to see her eyes were open and she was just clinging to him.

"Feel better?" he asked softly. Nell pushed herself up on his chest a little and nodded.

"I'm sorry, I got your shirt all wet." She apologised as she wiped her hands over the damp patches left by her tears.

"Don't worry about it." Callen smiled.

"I must look a mess." She said as she raised her hands and wiped her tear stained cheeks.

"You're as beautiful as always." Callen told her in low husky voice before he tucked her hair behind her ear and let his hand come to a rest on her neck.

"You always know just what to say to make a girl feel special." Nell smiled before a yawn caught her off guard and she quickly covered her mouth to stifle it.

"You're exhausted. I should let you get some sleep." Callen said.

"Don't go." Nell said quickly, her hand reaching out and pressing on his chest. "I…I don't want to be alone tonight." She said. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she knew she had just said something which would change everything. Until this point she and Callen had been dancing around their feelings, flirting and getting closer. But she had essentially asked him to spend the night and that was something entirely new.

"I'm not going anywhere if you don't want me to." Callen told her as he leaned in and placed a single soft kiss on her lips. "But you're not sleeping on the couch." He added with a smile. "Come on." He urged her up and holding her hand in his, he walked them down the hall to her bedroom.

Having discarded his boots, Callen lay on the bed with Nell curled up at his side. Her head rested on his chest and he had his arms wrapped around her, his fingers drawing circles on her arm. She had fallen asleep only moments after lying down but Callen was wide awake with only one thing on his mind.

He had kissed her. It wasn't a romantic kiss. If anything, it was a comfort kiss given on the spur of the moment. But he had kissed her all the same. And now they were lying in her bed together because she had wanted him to stay. Everything that had happened between them over the past few months had led them to a point where Callen was sure he wanted to be with her. He didn't know what would happen in the cold light of day because Nell had asked him to stay when she was feeling emotional and she was grieving. But he was sure of one thing. Nell Jones was the one for him.

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	7. Jealousy

**I'll admit, I'm not entirely happy with the last half of this chapter but I'm posting anyway so I can move on to the next one. Still, I hope you enjoy it. Zoe :)**

Nell woke with a start to the sound of buzzing coming from her alarm clock. But before she could move to turn it off, it went silent. As she blinked her eyes open she remembered what had happened the night before and knew that he had turned off the alarm. Last night she had asked, almost begged, him to stay and he had. And now she was encased safely in his arms, her head on his chest and her arm across his stomach. She couldn't help but feel a little awkward and she stiffened slightly. She had been so vulnerable the night before that she hadn't really thought through the consequences of what she had asked of him.

"Your alarm makes a really irritating noise, you know that right?" He joked lightly, having felt her tense up in his arms as she woke, realising where she was and that she wasn't alone.

"It's the only thing that wakes me." She replied groggily. "Morning." She added nervously.

"Morning." Callen replied. "Sleep well?" he smiled.

"Um, yeah." Nell nodded. She knew she should probably sit up, pull herself off him, but she didn't want to. And Callen showed no sign of pulling away from her. If anything, she felt his arms tighten around her.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"A little after seven." he replied.

"I need to get ready for work." She said suddenly. She saw Callen glance at her with a raised eyebrow. "_Some_ of us start work at 8.30." she grinned and lifted her body up as Callen loosened his arms. When he released her, she climbed off the bed, tugging down her t-shirt, and moved over to her closet.

"I guess I should head home for a shower and a change of clothes." Callen sighed as he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "You know, your bed is really comfy. Where'd you get it?" he asked as he bounced on the mattress a little. "I'm in the market." He added with a cheeky grin.

Nell laughed loudly. She'd heard the rumours about Callen's unfurnished home but had never really believed that someone could live without a proper bed. Apparently she was wrong.

"Ikea." She smiled. "I was on a budget when I moved here."

"Ikea huh." Callen smiled as he stood up and crossed to the bedroom door. It was good to hear her laugh again.

"Callen." Nell turned and walked over to him. "Thank you…for staying last night." She said as she lifted her head and looked into his eyes. They were warm and welcoming, and she felt like she could stare into them forever.

"I'll always be there when you need me Nell." He said as he leaned down pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'll see you at work." He added with a wink as he disappeared into the hall.

Nell heard her front door open then shut, and she let out sigh. Her emotions had been all over the place the last week but she was sure of one thing, her feelings for Callen were stronger than ever before she knew she wanted to be with him.

Xxx

It was mid-morning and Nell was back in the swing of things. Having been away for almost a week she was worried she would have a lot to catch up on but Eric had worked overtime and taken care of several pieces of work for her, and the temporary analyst Hetty had brought in from another department had managed to keep things running smoothly.

She had just returned to ops after taking a short break for some tea, and when she walked through the double doors, she spotted Eric sitting in a chair staring at a computer screen showing video footage from the Boatshed.

"What are you doing?" Nell asked Eric as she slid into the seat beside him.

"Watching Callen in the Boatshed." He said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"You're spying on Callen?" Nell asked. "Why?"

"Agent Giordano is with him." he replied, as if Nell should know what that meant.

"Who's Agent Giordano?" she asked innocently, her eyes drifting to the screen where Callen stood casually in the centre of the picture. She didn't yet see anyone else in the room.

"The _really_ hot Secret Service agent Callen had a thing for a couple of years ago." Eric smiled, completely unaware of the effect his words were having on his friend.

"A thing?" Nell asked, her eyes growing wide.

"Yeah, she was helping the team out on a case and those two were all kinds of flirting." Eric laughed.

Nell tried not to let her feeling show but she was overcome with jealousy as she watched the feed from the boatshed and saw a model thin and incredibly beautiful blonde come in from off screen to stand before Callen.

Xxx

When Hetty sent him to the boatshed to meet with an Agent about a case, Callen had had assumed it was another NCIS agent. But when he walked through the doors and saw a face from his past he was stunned. She was as beautiful as ever and when she threw him a smile he flashed back to two years earlier when he had almost…almost let himself take her out for dinner.

"Agent Giordano, nice to see you again." Callen smiled as she walked over to him.

"It's been a while." She nodded. "How've you been Callen?"

"Just fine." Callen nodded. "Now what can we do for you?" he asked as she took a step closer to him.

"Straight to business huh?" she smiled. "I always liked that about you."

"Natalie." Callen sighed with a smile.

"I need your help Callen." She smiled and cocked her head to the side, throwing him a flirty smile.

"I figured that much." Callen laughed.

"I'm working this case…"

Xxx

In ops, Nell was glued to the screen. Agent Giordano was openly flirting with Callen and Nell could see that Callen wasn't exactly rebuffing her attention. He smiled back at her, he laughed at what she was saying, and he was looking her right in the eyes with those intense blue orbs she had come to adore. Nell was jealous. Here was this beautiful Secret Service Agent instantly winning his attention. How was she, a short and very un-model like intelligence analyst supposed to compete against a hot secret service agent?

"So they went out huh?" she asked, trying to keep her voice light and innocent as she tried to find out what their relationship was. If he had dated her before, there was every chance he would go back to her.

"Nope." Eric shook his head and Nell's heart skipped a beat.

"They didn't?" she asked, her voice full of surprise. "I mean, it looks like they really like each other."

"Oh they did, maybe still do by the look of things." Eric laughed. "Hetty even tried to get him to take her to dinner but I don't think he ever did."

"Why?" Nell probed.

"I dunno." Eric shrugged as he threw her a curious look. "Callen doesn't exactly share his personal life with me."

Nell glanced at Eric briefly before returning her gaze to the screen. She saw Giordano reach out and touch Callen's arm and she felt her stomach sink as he stared back at her, a flirty smile on his face. She couldn't watch anymore.

"You know Eric. I don't think we should be watching this." Nell said.

"You're probably right." He said as he turned off the feed. "If Callen knew I was spying on him I'd be a goner."

xxx

As Agent Giordano not so subtly flirted with him, Callen suddenly got a grip and realised what was going on. He hadn't meant to flirt back but seeing her again after two years, the feelings he had experienced when he first met her started to surface. But it was reactionary and as she stood before him explaining how Callen, and NCIS, could help her current case, he realised those feelings were nothing more than a memory. Natalie Giordano was a beautiful, intelligent woman but she was not the beautiful and intelligent woman he wanted.

"Let me make a call, I'll see what we can do to help." He said as he moved across the room and pulled out his cell. "Eric, can you send Nell over to the Boatshed. I need her help with something."

After hanging up he turned back to Agent Giordano. She had moved to sit on the couch and was smiling at him.

"So, you still following that rule?" she asked.

"Ah, the 'I don't date cops' rule." Callen nodded as he slid into the armchair beside her. "Yes." He nodded.

"Shame." She shook her head. "I was hoping I could get you to take me to dinner this time."

"Not going to happen." Callen shook his head with a smile. "But it has nothing to do with the rule."

"Oh?" she asked, her eyebrows rising in intrigue. "You're off the market." she sighed as she leaned back into the couch and folded her arms across her chest.

"Something like that." Callen nodded as he thought about Nell. He would be quite happy to tell people he was with her…if only that were actually the case.

Xxx

Nell took a deep breath as she entered the Boatshed, trying to suppress the nerves in her stomach. She was not looking forward to meeting the woman who could so easily capture Callen's attention. She had only seen her on screen and even that was enough to stir feelings of envy.

"Hey Nell." Callen greeted her causally with a nod of the head. She instantly missed the warm smile he had been giving her lately. "This is Agent Natalie Giordano, from the Secret Service." Callen introduced. "Agent Giordano, our Intelligence Analyst, Nell Jones."

"Hi, it's nice to meet you." Agent Giordano greeted her formally. Nell couldn't miss the once over the agent gave her – her eyes scanning her from head to toe then coming back to look her in the eye. Next to the suited and booted agent, Nell suddenly felt very self-conscious in her youthful floral dress and cardigan, and she nervously brushed her hands down the front of her dress before adjusting her sleeves.

"Hello." Nell greeted her with a professional smile. "What do you need my help with?" Nell turned to Callen and straightened up a little as she stood next to the taller, thinner secret service agent.

"Agent Giordano is working a case which overlaps with the Navy. We need you to do some research into these guys. They may be connected to an ongoing case." Callen explained as handed her a slip of paper with several navy personnel scribbled on it. His eyes drifted over her as she looked at the names, and though to most she would appear perfectly normal, he detected tension and discomfort in her body language, and noticed the sideways glances she threw at the blonde agent beside her.

"I'll get right on it." Nell replied in a voice much quieter than normal. "Agent Giordano." She nodded at the agent as she turned on her heels and headed out the door.

Xxx

A few hours later Nell sat alone in ops, compiling the information Callen had requested. She heard the doors behind her swish open and a moment later he called out to her.

"Hey Nell, what have you got?"

"The names you gave are connected to a case Agent Renko has been working. I have the case details, full histories, financials, everything Agent Giordano needs." She replied as she pulled the information up on the screen before her.

"Thanks Nell." Callen replied. "Can you…"

"Send it to your tablet? Already done." She finished for him, causing Callen's eyebrows to rise. Nell had done that a lot when she first started but it was because she was nervous and eager to show she was capable. After a few weeks the habit had disappeared as she found her feet. But now it was reappearing and he wondered why.

"So." Nell began casually. "Eric told me Agent Giordano worked a case with you a few years ago."

"Yeah, we were investigating a marine's death that turned out to involve a major counterfeiting ring. Giordano came in to assist." Callen smiled to himself as he recalled how put out they had all been when she first turned up. He immediately saw Nell's face fall and he squinted at her and pursed his lips together. Putting the pieces together, Callen formed an idea about why Nell was acting strangely.

"Uh, what else did Eric tell you?" Callen asked.

"Nothing." Nell shrugged. "Just that she's a good agent."

"Uh huh." Callen knew immediately she was lying and figured Eric had told her a lot more than she was admitting to. And as he watched her shift nervously in her seat he knew he was right.

"You need something else?" Nell asked, realising he was lingering.

"No, no I think we're good." Callen replied as he stepped away from her. He paused as he reached the door.

"You know Nell. You have nothing to be jealous of. She's not my type." He told her. "I prefer petite brunettes." He smirked as he saw Nell freeze, her body stiffening in her chair.

Nell sat rigid in her chair long after Callen had left. She couldn't believe he had said that to her. Sure, after the last week, and really for some time before that, she knew he felt something. But at the back of her mind she was telling herself it wasn't what she thought. But now, all that changed with four simple words. For the first time she allowed herself to think that she actually had a real shot with him. And having not had the guts to say something back immediately, she knew she would need to find another opportunity to let him know how she felt.

**Thanks for reading, I hope you leave a review :)**


	8. Lust

**I think this is the chapter everyone has been waiting for...I hope you enjoy it! Zoe.**

Nell was having trouble concentrating and it wasn't the first time that day, or that week for that matter. Four days ago, in response to the arrival of Agent Giordano, Callen had told Nell _She's not my type. I prefer petite brunettes_. And since then, every moment that she wasn't working on their current case and some when she was, her mind would drift to the Senior Agent in Charge; the way his eyes would sparkle when he looked at her, the low husky tone he used when they were alone, the sparks of electricity she felt whenever he touched her. She was past the point of just being attracted to him. She wanted him. She wanted to know what it would be like to kiss him, to have his hands threaded through her hair, his fingers on her skin…

"Ms Jones." Hetty's firm voice stirred Nell from her daydream and she snapped her head around.

"Hetty." She gasped.

"Agent Callen is almost ready to leave." She nodded the cell phone Nell had been working with.

"Oh, right." Nell quickly stood up. "It's done."

"You best take it to him. I believe you will find him down in Wardrobe." Hetty replied, eyeing Nell with suspicion as she headed to the double doors. The young analyst was not on her game and Hetty wondered why.

Nell hurried down the stairs and across the office to Wardrobe. As she breezed in she came to a sudden stop. Her eyes widened and her lips parted in a silent gasp as she caught sight of Callen, standing with his back to her a few feet away, wearing only a pair of well-fitting dark blue jeans, his toned back and shoulders on full display. Nell stared as he pulled a t-shirt over his head, desire burning in her belly at the sight of his muscles contracting as he moved.

Fully dressed, Callen turned to complete his outfit with the belt and watch, and immediately saw Nell standing just a few feet away looking flustered.

"Nell." He greeted her with a sly smile.

"Sorry." She muttered as she dropped her head and averted her gaze. "Hetty sent me to give you this." She glanced up and took a few steps towards him, thrusting out a new cell phone, programmed with numbers he might need during the operation.

"Thanks." Callen smirked. He could tell from the blush on her cheeks that she had been standing there a moment or two and had likely seen more than she had bargained for. Stuffing the cell phone into his pocket he grabbed the belt and threaded it through the loops on his jeans.

"So if we wrap things up this afternoon, we're all going out for drinks." Callen told her. "You in?"

"Um." Nell paused a moment to think. She knew a night out would be the perfect opportunity to get Callen alone away from work, but she didn't feel like her current outfit would do her any favours.

"I have plans." She responded, catching a fleeting glimpse of disappointment cross Callen's face. "But I'll swing by when I'm done." She added, garnering a smile from the agent.

"Okay then." He nodded. "The others ready?" he asked, looking over her head for Kensi, Sam and Deeks.

"In the bullpen." Nell nodded. "Good luck."

Xxx

One successful undercover operation later and Callen and the rest of the team were in Stereo, a hip, newly opened nightclub. It had been Kensi's suggestion to go to a club rather than just a bar. She apparently needed to 'get her groove on'. Callen lounged back into the sofa and scanned the crowd. It was after ten and he was beginning to wonder if Nell was actually going to show up. His heart would skip a beat when he thought he spotted her, only for it to sink when he realised it wasn't her. As he feigned interest in a conversation between the others, Callen wondered what plans Nell had that meant she couldn't join them. He desperately hoped it didn't involve another guy. The thought of someone else getting to hold her in their arms and kiss her full, sensual lips killed him. Taking a sip of beer, Callen tried to relax but he knew he wouldn't until Nell arrived.

xxx

Nell had hurried home the moment she was free. She hadn't lied to Callen – she did have plans. Those plans just consisted of taking some time to shower, fix her hair and put on a sexy dress. As soon as Callen mentioned going out, she knew this was her chance. She and Callen had been dancing around each other for too long, and after his comment to her in ops, she had decided she had to make a move and finally let him know how she felt. But she didn't want to make that move wearing the very business like black jeans, shirt and blazer she had been wearing at work.

So now, at 9.45pm she found herself standing before her full length mirror, checking herself one last time before she caught a cab to the club. Brushing her hands down her dress, she grabbed her jacket, checked her lipstick, and headed for the door, knowing that one way or the other, when she walked back through things would be different.

xxx

Callen had almost given up on Nell coming and he let out a heavy sigh, deciding if he should just call it quits and go home. He didn't really feel like spending the rest of the night wondering what might have happened. But as he turned to pick his beer up off the table, he froze. Nell was walking towards the group and Callen was instantly transfixed. Wearing a deep green dress with a fitted bodice and a skirt that flared out stopping just above her knees, a pair of chunky black boots, and a cropped leather jacket with ¾ length sleeves, Callen had never seen anyone look so sexy and he couldn't take his eyes off her as she approached.

"Hi guys." She greeted them all as she stepped up into the area they were seated in.

"Nell, you made it!" Kensi got up and embraced Nell quickly. "You look amazing."

"Uh, thanks." Nell smiled shyly.

"Here, sit." Sam shifted to make space for Nell and she took the seat that placed her right next to Callen. She turned and smiled at him, taking in his worn out Grateful Dead t-shirt and inky blue jeans. There was no denying he looked good, damn good.

"Glad you could make it." Callen leaned in and whispered.

"Worried I wasn't going to show?" she countered.

"More worried about who you got all dressed up for before coming here." He said brazenly.

"What makes you think it isn't _you_ I got dressed up for." She replied, meeting his surprised gaze for only a moment, before turning her attention to the others.

"Hey Nell, you'll dance right?" Kensi said as she rose from her chair. "I can't get any of these guys to loosen up."

"Sure." Nell smiled and got to her feet, purposely placing her hand on Callen's shoulder to 'steady herself' as she stood. "Just let me take my jacket off." She added as she stripped off the little leather jacket to reveal the dress she was wearing was strapless. As she moved across to Kensi, she felt Callen's eyes on her and she knew the dress had been the right choice.

Callen sat with a beer in his hand staring at the dance floor. It was packed and his view was partially obstructed but he could still see glimpses of Nell beside Kensi as they danced to the beat of the music. Callen had never figured Nell for a nightclub kind of girl but clearly she was having a good time and she had good moves too. Kensi always caught the eye of every man in the room but as Nell danced, Callen noticed a few eyes directed her way. He couldn't blame them. Showing off her toned shoulders and arms in that strapless dress, Callen couldn't take his eyes off her.

"I need a drink." He announced. Sam, Deeks and Eric merely waved at him as Callen headed down the steps and made his way through the crowd to the bar. He stood patiently and shuffled his way closer to the front each time a space was vacated. Suddenly he felt a hand on his back and when he snapped his head around, he smiled when he saw Nell.

"Got room for me?" she asked. Callen nodded and he twisted so he could slip his arm around her back and draw her in front of him.

"You and Kensi have been burning up the dance floor." he said, leaning down so she could hear him over the music.

"Been watching us huh?" Nell replied, turning to look up at him.

"Hard not to." Callen muttered with a shake of his head.

"What can I get you?" the bartender asked. Callen realised they had made it to the front of the bar, and lifting his hands to Nell's upper arms, he leaned down.

"Nell?"

"Two daiquiris." Nell spoke up, before glancing down to look at Callen's hands on her arms.

"And a beer." Callen replied.

"And two tequila shots." Nell added.

"Tequila shots?" Callen reacted with surprise. "You and Kensi planning on turning this into a wild night?"

"Nope." Nell shook her head as the bartender put the shots, salt and some lemon slices down in front of her. "These are for us." She grinned as a cheeky plan formed in her mind. She knew it was bold and she didn't know how he would react but she had come out tonight with one purpose in mind and she wasn't going to let herself chicken out.

Taking the salt from the bar, Nell shook it onto her wrist and quickly did her shot, needing the liquid courage. Then before Callen could pick up the salt for his, Nell lifted it and shook more onto her own wrist. With a seductive smile, she offered her wrist to Callen, watching as his eyebrows rose in surprise and his eyes filled with something she could only describe as desire. He gently took her hand and without breaking eye contact, he licked the salt from her skin and drank his shot, finishing it off with the lemon.

"That'll be $40." The bartender said suddenly, breaking the intense stare-off the pair were engaged in. Nell turned to see the two cocktails and Callen's beer sitting on the bar before them.

"I got it." Callen smiled as he pulled a wad of cash from his pocket and handed over several bills to the bartender. Nell nodded her thanks, and picked up her two drinks. Callen grabbed his bottle and with one hand on the small of her back, he manoeuvred her back through the crowd to the team's table.

"Took you long enough." Kensi laughed as they returned and Nell handed over her drink.

"Big queue." Callen nodded as he and Nell sat down. She immediately engaged in conversation with Kensi but Callen was lost in thought. Nell was clearly playing some kind of game with him and he had an idea what she was wanting out of it. He wanted exactly the same thing and just had to wait for the moment to get it.

Xxx

Several hours and many more drinks later, Nell was feeling flushed and confident. Callen hadn't taken his eyes off her all night and the fluttering in her stomach told her she had to make her move now.

"If you'll excuse me." Nell said to the group as she rose. Callen shifted to let her pass and as she moved towards the stairs, she looked back over her shoulder and threw him a look. Hoping he would take the hint, Nell headed down the stairs and towards the bathrooms.

Nell could feel her heart racing as she tried to walk calmly to the hallway where the bathrooms were. She ducked inside and going straight to the sink, she took a moment to check her hair and make-up, dabbing a little lip-gloss onto her lips before washing her hands and taking a few steadying breaths. She hoped that when she opened that bathroom door he would be on the other side waiting for her. If he wasn't, she would know nothing would ever actually happen.

Nell had barely stepped back through the bathroom door when she felt a sudden tug on her hand. Before she could react to being pulled from the door, he had her pinned to the wall and his lips were pressing against hers in an urgent, desperate kiss. Taken completely off guard, Nell was frozen for a moment as her mind comprehended what was happening. Special Agent G Callen was kissing her – no, he was not just kissing her, he was ravishing her. Realising she needed to respond, Nell grasped at his t-shirt as she began to kiss him back. Her response seemed to spur him on and his hand moved to cradle the back of her head as he deepened the kiss, parting her lips with his and dipping his tongue into her mouth. Nell moaned softly at the new sensation, then gasped when he moved to suck on her lower lip. She knew Callen was a talented man, but who knew his greatest skill would be kissing?

Callen was a man possessed. The moment Nell had stepped out of the bathroom his plan went out the window. He had intended on their first kiss to be soft and romantic but instead, he had been overcome by months of desire. Lust had taken over and as soon as he laid eyes on her, her plump lips glistening in the light, and he had just grabbed her, pulled her up the hallway and kissed her hard. His kisses travelled from her lips to her neck, and in the darkened hallway he sucked at her skin knowing he would leave his mark. Tugging her body against his with a low growl, he returned to her lips, groaning as she whimpered under his ministrations.

Frenzied would be the word Nell would come to use to describe the moment later. It was as if months of pent up lust and desire had come bursting out of her and she couldn't get enough of him. Her body felt like it was on fire as she kissed him back. Her arms slid up around his neck, pulling him down to her as he wrapped his arms around her back and held her tight against his firm body. She was getting lightheaded, both from lack of oxygen and the emotions rushing through her body. Feeling her knees weaken, she tightened her hold on Callen to stop herself from falling, and pulled her head back sharply, breaking the kiss only to take a few breaths and make one simple request.

"Take me home."

**Um, thoughts? **


	9. Nervousness

**Thank you all so so much for all the amazing review for this story. It makes me grin like an idiot when I see your comments in my inbox!**

**Sorry this chapter is a little shorter than most, it was just a scene I had to write for this emotion and I didn't want to bog it down with more than necessary. I hope you enjoy it! Zoe**

Nell wasn't sure what woke her but her eyes began to blink open and she wriggled into the unfamiliar soft cotton sheets wrapped around her, letting out a sigh of contentment. As full consciousness slowly returned, a broad smile crossed her face as she remembered just where she was waking up. She rolled over onto her back and turned her head, her smile fading as she realised the other side of the bed was empty. Gripping the sheets around her chest, she sat up and looked around, noticing from the clock how early it still was, and a knot of nervousness began to twist up in her stomach.

Since she was in his house and in his bed, she figured he couldn't have left…unless he escaped to the refuge of the office, regretting what happened between them the night before. Nell quickly shut down that stream of thought, knowing that G Callen doesn't do anything he doesn't want to. But that fact that at 5am he was not in bed with her caused her some concern. They hadn't talked last night. They had done everything but talk. And that left things between them perhaps a little awkward. A clatter coming from somewhere else in the house caught her attention. Glancing around, Nell grabbed a t-shirt lying on the floor by the bed and pulled it over her head, smiling when she realised it was the Grateful Dead t-shirt she had pulled off him as they had stumbled into the bedroom. After climbing out of the bed, she picked up her panties from the floor by the door, shimmied into them, and tip-toed down the hall towards the muffled sounds she could hear.

Nell paused at the doorway to the kitchen, her body tense, not knowing what to expect. Standing at the counter with his back to her wearing just a pair of black sweats, Callen was meticulously cleaning his gun seemingly unaware of her presence. Nell didn't know whether to call out to him or wait for him to notice her. But she didn't need to make a choice.

"You coming in?" he asked, turning his head to look over his shoulder at her with a soft smile on his face.

As Nell took a few hesitant steps into the room, Callen opened his arm out in a gesture for her to join him. Her confidence growing, Nell took the remaining steps across the cold linoleum floor to his side. When she reached him, his arm slid around her waist and he drew her to stand in front of him, wrapping his arms around her and dropping a soft kiss on her neck. Instantly the nerves she had been feeling since waking dissipated and she leaned back into him, relishing the warmth from his body.

"You were sleeping. I didn't want to wake you." He whispered, by way of an explanation.

"You couldn't sleep?" Nell asked.

"I don't sleep much." He shrugged as he moved to continue piecing his gun together, keeping Nell between himself and the counter and looking over her head to see what he was doing.

"So you clean your gun?" she asked.

"Or read, sometimes practice a language, fix the toaster." He smiled.

"At least now I know why you weren't there when I woke up." Nell shrugged.

Callen suddenly tensed. He had never considered how his odd sleep patterns might affect a real relationship and after only one night together, it had already raised questions.

"It's not going to put you off, is it?" Callen asked with a hint of nervousness as he set the gun down.

"Put me off what?" Nell asked as she twisted and turned around to face him.

"Staying over?" his eyes locked with hers and Nell saw something she had never seen before – doubt.

"No." she replied firmly as she slid her hands up to rest on his chest. "Just promise me you won't try to 'fix' _my_ toaster." She grinned.

"Okay." Callen chuckled.

"So you're not tired at all?" Nell asked, tracing circles on his chest with her fingers.

"Nope." Callen replied, his eyes drifting down and for the first time realising what she was wearing and just how sexy she looked in his t-shirt with her tousled hair and sleepy eyes.

"And your gun is clean now?" she asked, catching her lower lip between her teeth.

"It's done." He whispered.

"So maybe we could find something else for you to do?" she asked suggestively.

Callen leaned down and caught her lips with his in a soft, sensual kiss, his arms winding around her back and pulling her tight against him.

"You have something in mind?" he asked, nuzzling at her neck. Nell leaned up and whispered something in his ear. With a slightly surprised look on his face, Callen grinned and in one swift movement, lifted her up off the ground. Nell wrapped her legs around his waist and dropped kisses on his neck as he moved them out of the kitchen and back down the hall to the bedroom.

**I always appreciate a review!**


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